The Prince's Elf
by JoeyBear1424
Summary: Thorin is called to another kingdom for negotiations. He brings along his nephews to prepare for the day they will take the throne. Upon their arrival, they're shocked to see that they use elves as their servants and slaves. They follow strict rules and codes; punishments following if they break them. But Fili can't help himself. He sees her and knows. She's his one. Post Quest.
1. Prologue

So my internet is being kinda iffy today. So I'm sorry if things take a while to update. I'm working on it. I own nothing but the queen and her servants

* * *

The woman's eyes pin down him from across the room, a sharp and bright emerald green. She doesn't look away from him once: as she pours drinks; serves food and runs at the beck and call of the queen. But it's Dwalin that reminds him with an elbow to his arm with a sharp warning.

"Look at her ears, she's an elf! And a servant to the queen none the less—no good can come from pining after her." He warns, shaking his head as he takes a long drink of ale. But he knew already as she watched him; she was his one.


	2. Echo

I apologize that it took me a while to update this but I felt kinda iffy about this chapter. I wrote it and rewrote it a few times. Thank you so much to Hayyah2000, Marina Oakenshield, purpleclaw37, Winter Elvish Rose and vargas93 for the follows and favorites! I really appreciate it. I will try and update this again tonight if not tomorrow.

* * *

I see them before anyone else—hidden behind a tree for a brief moment of freedom before I'm discovered as missing. There's six of them—all dwarves. I'd heard the queen talking of them for weeks, grooming us for them. I was to take care of and serve the older prince, Fili. But which one was he? I hope he isn't the thick, bald one with tattoos. He has a dangerous air about him as he moves; axes strapped across his back. There's an older one with white hair and a forked beard, a grandfatherly looking man. The leader of their group is broad shouldered, dark haired with small silver streaks running through it; facial hair braided. I don't get to see the others as my voice is screamed.

"Echo? Where are you?" The deep, angry voice of one of the guards calls. I grimace; my short moment of freedom over. "Don't make me look for you." He warns. I crawl away from the dwarves; running and bracing myself for their anger. My name is a joke. When I was brought here, I screamed and cried for hours, refusing to be soothed. I ignored food, drinks and medicine in favor of depression. I kept attempting to escape only to be met with beatings and threats of death. When I finally gave up, my throat being too raw and sore for me to continue; all I could do was make weak kitten like mewls. Now, I don't speak unless I'm spoken too—it's the rules.

I slip past the guards, nodding at them as they glare at me. I move into the kitchen, taking the trays handed to me and fall into line behind the other servants; all moving painfully slow towards the dining hall.

* * *

Fili looks back and forth as they walk about the halls. It seems every corner they turned, more and more elves appeared. Flanking his sides were Kili and Ori, both looking around with similar looks of shock.

"Is something wrong my lords?" The queen asks, not bothering to turn around. She was a tall, slender woman with long blackish brown hair dipping to her waist; her eyes a warm grayish blue.

"It's just—well. We're curious as to why there are so many elves here," He begins, swallowing as his uncle throws him a hard look.

"They're working as servants here." She answers simply, all warmth gone from her. "Some are sold to us to work off debts; others are free to leave whenever they please. They cook; clean rooms; do laundry; work as guards. Each of you has been assigned your personal servant for your stay here." She's lead them to a large dining room; gesturing for them all to sit down at a long wooden table. That's when he sees her. She's short, pale skinned with red hair like fire. But it's not that. It's her eyes—emerald green, watching him with no interest that gets to him.

"What's her name?" He asks, mesmerized by the emerald green eyes watching him. From around the room come laughs as the elves snicker and shake their heads. The queen silences them with a sharp look, turning back to Fili.

"Her name is Echo." She says simply, sipping her wine.

"Excuse me, my lady," A tall, slender elf Fili remembers being introduced as Ori's servant interrupts. "Forgive me for speaking out of term but why bother introducing Echo? We all know she doesn't talk." The elf smirks as everyone turns and looks at Echo; her face remaining stony.

"She doesn't talk?" Ori says quietly. He flushes bright red as all eyes turn to him. "How come she doesn't talk?" Fili watches the redhead elf and he swears her eyes become a little misty. The queen's gaze turns hard as she turns and looks at the elves, standing by with food and drinks.

"Hush, all you of," She hisses sharply. "Echo's a complicated one." The woman smiles strangely as she watches her serve the flaxen haired prince. Fili turns to her, smiling as he thanks her. And for some reason, as she looks at him, barely nodding, his heart skips a beat. And when she turns her back; a small ache of sadness tugs at his chest.

* * *

I'm assigned to the flaxen haired one: Fili. He reminds me of a lion; noble, proud and elegant. His hair is thick, braided with some clasps at the end. Even his mustache is braided and I catch myself staring at his full pink lips as he thanks me. And even though every part of me screams to say you're welcome; bow to him; smile back—I can't. Everyone's staring at me, watching and waiting for me to speak. But as they said: 'Echo doesn't talk'. I do talk, I do. I want to scream this at him, shake him. Slap him even though he's a prince. Just so he knows, I can talk—I can do something. But I know by the cold eyes burning a hole into my back that I'm already in trouble so instead, I stand stoic, staring at the prince.


	3. Punishment

Thank you so much to Analaa, Girl of Twilight Wings, BeanieBaby96 and Jesus' girl 4ever for the follows and favorites! I really appreciate it. Please read, super important: My health has been acting up. My migraines are getting worse lately...I woke up yesterday from a dead sleep and had a splitting headache. So it's kicking my ass basically and it's difficult to write. I'm starting to get a hold on this story and figure out more were it's going though :3 sorry about the delays in updates guys. Disclaimer: I own nothing but Hinnorel, Talatthor and Echo.

* * *

Dinner goes by too slowly; each course seems to take hours rather than minutes. I swallow back a sigh as we move to pick up the dessert platters; knowing and dreading what's coming to me. The queen stands from her seat, gesturing widely.

"Thank you my lords for joining me for dinner," Her voice is smooth, calm. I grit my teeth, my spine stiffening. "I apologize for not formally introducing myself; my name is Hinnorel." She bows to them, glancing at me from the corner of her eye. The dark haired one, Kili leans over towards his brother, whispering something about elves and their strange names. Hinnorel clears her throat loudly, staring the young dwarf down. "My name means fire eyes, young prince. Does the name not suit me?" She moves quickly, almost silently until she's mere inches from him; nearly nose to nose with him. His dark eyes widen as he stares her down; shaking his head.

"No, Queen…Queen Hinnorel," He stutters, a nervous look on his face as she stares him down. "Your name suits you quite well." The queen smirks; satisfied as she backs off. She moves back to the head of the table; a calm look on her face once more.

"I assume you are all exhausted from travel. Please, allow us to show you to your rooms. We can begin discussion tomorrow." She nods to Thorin who stares at her with no hidden amount of disdain. I inhale sharply as Fili stands up, smiling at me. The queen clears her throat loudly, looking pointedly at Fili. "I apologize young prince but I must speak to Echo—Talatthor will show you to your rooms." She gestures towards Ori's servant, who stands with their head bowed low, looking awkward and uncomfortable as he ushers them out of the room. My knees begin shaking as everyone slowly exits, my throat becoming dry and scratchy. The other servants all smirk or sneer at me. Talatthor refuses to look at me as he passes by. As soon as the last servants and dwarves exit; the door thudding shut behind them, she turns sharply on me with a hiss.

"I'm sorry," I squeak, kneeling down to bow. "I only left for a bit today—I needed some time away from the castle." I bite my tongue, grimacing. Hinnorel paces in front of me, her footsteps heavy with anger.

"You know my rules, Echo," She stretches my name out and I can feel her eyes on me as she watches me. "You needed time away? Do I not treat you well? Do I not give you food? Do I not clothe you?"

"You do all of that." I mumble.

"Is my food not satisfactory? Do the clothes bother you? Tell me, Echo, what have we done?" I don't dare speak, bowing my brow to the floor.

"I apologize," I whisper, daring to peek through my lashes up at her. She glares down at me, blue eyes ablaze with rage as she watches me plead; pale skin flushing with anger. "I am nothing if not grateful." I continue, closing my eyes. She stops her pacing, kneeling before me and motioning for me to stand up. I do as she asks; squaring my shoulders as she raises her hand. The slap echoes throughout the room; drops of blood begin to drip from my nose, as she dismisses me with a wave of her hand.

* * *

Fili follows after Ori and the dark haired elf, a small ache in his chest as he glances back at the now closed door.

"Pardon me for saying," Fili begins, not feeling the least bit sorry as he looks at the stiff back of the elf leading them. "But your queen seems a bit strange." He didn't like her, especially not after she'd gotten that close to Kili; a dark, threatening look in her eyes as she stared him down. The elf hesitates, glancing back at him and around before sighing.

"Queen Hinnorel is odd," He finally says, his nose wrinkling. "She has moments of kindness but they are rare."

"So tonight was a show?" Fili asks. All throughout the dinner she'd talked, gestured enthusiastically and seemed happy. The elf seems to hesitate even more now as he opens the door to a bedroom, ushering both of them in.

"I apologize but I had to do that," He sighs, looking at the both of them. "Servants around here are okay with snitching about another to save their own hides. The queen was quite furious with Echo." The elf finishes. Ori and Fili exchange a glance, looking at the elf.

"Why?" Ori asks quietly. "She seems like she is very…." Ori stops, unsure of what word to use. To tell the truth, the she-elf in question had not spoken a word throughout dinner. Her expression had barely changed.

"We are not to leave the castle without the queen's permission," The elf moves about the room, lighting candles and straightening the already perfect sheets. "To do so is highly forbidden. Echo snuck out today—of all days, the day you come," He sighs, turning with a somewhat resigned smile. "I apologize master dwarves; I did not catch your names."

"Fili, at your service," Fili gives a deep bow, gesturing towards Ori. "And this is Ori, our scribe." Ori's cheeks flush red at Fili's prideful tone as the elf bows, smiling softly.

"Talatthor—at your service," The elf's smile fades for a second before it returns; an almost fretful look on his face as he turns to Ori. "Is there anything you need master Ori before you turn in for the night?" Ori shakes his head, pausing as he glances at Fili. He bites his lower lip as he looks at the elf, his eyes full of nerves.

"Can you tell us, Talatthor, how come Echo doesn't talk?" Ori asks. Fili stares at him sharply as the elf sighs, rubbing his eyes.

"Forgive me for my comment tonight," The elf whispers, looking pained. Fili stares at him hard, wishing briefly he could grab the elf and shake him to demand the answer. "If I did not say something, someone would have said something much, much worse about her." Both dwarves stand silent, watching Talatthor pinch the bridge of his nose.

"What would they say?" Fili asks, his voice barely concealing the impatience building in his voice.

"Some would have made a comment about….Well, let's just say it would not have been kind. You are bound to hear them say it while you stay here." Talatthor grimaces, staring pointedly at a spot on the wall. "Echo _does_ talk," A ghost of a smile graces his face for a moment before it disappears. "But she'll only speak when spoken too—yet another set of rules imposed by the queen."

"Would she talk to me?" Fili asks softly, holding his breath as the elf turns his gaze on him. "If I were to speak with her first—ask her a question perhaps, would that not force her to speak with me?" Talatthor raises an eyebrow, nodding slowly.

"She will not talk a lot," He warns. "But yes, just speak to her. It can be anything—Echo would be allowed to speak if I myself spoke to her. She just won't speak unless spoken to." Any more talk is cut off as the doors opened and quickly, forcibly slammed shut by the very elf in question.

* * *

I stumble out of the room, grabbing the sleeve of a passing servant. I'm all too aware of my nose dripping blood as they stare down at me with disdain.

"What is it?" They demand, yanking their arm free of my hand.

"I need to see Talatthor," The words are spit out quickly, my head still bowed. "Please, it's important." The servant grunts, gesturing down the hallway.

"He was showing the dwarves to their rooms," They point at a room, walking away. "I saw him go into that one there." I put a hand to my face, stumbling down the hallway until I'm in the room, slamming the door behind me. I look up and come face to face with the flaxen haired one, Fili; Talatthor and the small one who's name I don't remember. Talatthor frowns, looking over his shoulder at the two dwarves.

* * *

"Excuse me my masters," He bows, tugging me from the room. "What happened?" He demands as soon as we're out of the room; his eyes knowing. I allow myself to be dragged to the infirmary, faintly aware of the heavy footsteps following behind us.

"What do you think?" I hiss as he begins attending to my bleeding nose. "I was punished for sneaking out today."

"Did she kick—punch? Or was it just a slap?" Talatthor's hand hovers over some ointment in the open cabinet as I shake my head.

"She just slapped me," I promise him as he moves to fill up a basin with water. I smirk, lifting my head and peering into the hallway. "Spangaer, I know you're hiding out there." I call softly. Slowly, Fili's face comes into view as he peers around the doorframe.

"I don't speak Elvish," He says, still standing in the doorway. "What did you call me?" His gaze is a mixture of a nervous, curious and fear.

"Spangaer means bearded one," I say softly, holding a hand out. "You may come in." I offer. Fili sticks his head further into the room, wrinkling his nose at the sharp scent as he finally steps inside and joins me.

"What happened?" Fili asks. I stare at him blankly, not moving as Talatthor comes back around; tending to my now swelling cheek. There's a moment of awkward silence as Talatthor attends my cheek and Fili watches, silent.

"I broke the rules," I say bluntly. "There are rules for a reason and when they are broke, we are punished," I stand up abruptly, moving away from Talatthor. I nod curtly, turning towards Fili. "Are you ready for me to show you to your room, master Fili?" He nods, his lips a thin line. I move quickly from the room; listening to the fall of heavy footsteps behind me as I lead him to his room.

"Pardon me for asking my lady," Fili begins as we near his room. "But what is master Talatthor to you?" I pause with my hand on the doorknob, looking back at him.

"He is my brother," I say simply, opening the door and ushering him in. "Do you require anything else before you turn in for the night master Fili? Do you want some food—a drink?" He smiles politely, shaking his head. I bow, staring at the booted feet before me. "Goodnight then spangaer." I whisper, closing the door behind me with a soft click.

* * *

Spangaer: Bearded one


	4. Late Talks

Thank you to Irishmadhatter3, thatreadingkid and Jovie Black for the favorites and follows. Please read, this is very important. Last night, we recivied news that my grandfather is in the hospital with stage end cancer and is expected to die very soon. He is off the ventilator and doing okay, being transferred to a different hospital. So if I don't update for a while...That's why. We'll be headed out there Monday. I only own my characters.

* * *

It's still dark outside when I wake up the next morning; my shoulder shaken by Talatthor. I shrug him off, groaning as I sit up. He grabs hold of my shoulders, preventing me from lying back down.

"It's too early," I complain, swiping weakly at his hand. "What do you need?"

"We're needed in the infirmary," Talatthor says, his tone somber. "Now." He says as a scream rips through the hallway; filled with grief and pain. I throw the covers back, running after Talatthor as he races down the hall towards the infirmary; the screams growing louder and louder. The screams are mixed with sobs and curses; all growing in volume.

"What happened?" Talatthor demands as we reach the room, pushing one of the servants aside. I kneel beside the bed, grabbing hold of the thrashing woman's arms. She glances at me, her sobs stopping for a moment as she goes limp.

"I don't know Talatthor," The servant in question answers, wringing their hands nervously. "She simply woke up and began screaming."

"Leave please," Talatthor says icily; watching as the others scurry from the room. He moves about the room, gathering herbs and other things to pour into a bowl. "Hold her steady, Echo." Beneath my hands, she's began to thrash again, cursing and spitting as Talatthor pours the medicine down her throat.

"What did you give her?" I ask, watching as her body slowly goes limp. Talatthor ignores me, kissing her forehead and brushing his fingers through her tangled her.

"There, there now my little lion," He soothes, his voice void of the icy tone it had mere moments ago. "Rest now Rawoneth."

"What's wrong with her?" A new voice asks, breaking the peaceful moment. We both jump, looking up to see Fili and the dark haired dwarf standing in the doorway; their eyes wide and their mouths gaping open. Talatthor growls; glaring at me. I nod, ushering them out of the room as Talatthor slams the door behind us.

* * *

Fili grits his teeth as the door slams audibly behind him. He had not meant to cause any harm, really he hadn't. A feeling of guilt tugs at his heart as he stares at Echo's stiff back and shoulders. Kili tugs on the sleeve of his nightshirt absentmindedly, a guilty look on his face.

"I didn't mean to make them mad," Kili whispers, his dark eyes sorrowful. "I just wanted to make sure everything was okay…" Fili squeezes his hand, nodding.

"I know, Kili," Fili says softly, still staring at Echo's back. "I know."

_Fili had lay sound asleep in bed when Kili had burst into the room; a frantic look on his face. He ran to the bed and shook Fili until he awoke, not giving him a chance to speak. _

_ "Fili, someone was screaming," Kili had whispered. "And then I could hear someone running down the hall." Fili sighed, rubbing at his eyes. _

_ "Are you sure it was not just a dream, Kili?" Fili asked, not in the mood for any of his brother's jokes. _

_ "I swear I heard it!" Kili said. Fili prepared to tell him to go back to bed; it was a long journey; he was exhausted and imagining things when he too heard it. The scream was high, urgent mixed with desperate sobs, loud curses that tore through the hallway outside his bedroom. Kili gave him an 'I told you so' look as Fili tore the covers back. Both of them had rushed down the hallway; stopping when they realized they had no idea where to go in this maze like pattern of rooms. _

_ "Leave it to elves…" Kili muttered as he looked around. "What was the name of your servant? Ask for her." _

_ "Echo." Fili whispered; the name sending a rush of warmth through his body, a delirious state of happiness as it rolled off his tongue._

_ "Echo is in the infirmary," A new voice interrupted. The two jumped as an elf dressed in white, stared them down. "It's that way and then you'll take a left." They left too late to hear the servant warn for them to wait; determination in their eyes as they ran down the hallway. As they'd drawn nearer, they could hear Echo's voice and Talatthor's. But above all was the wretched screaming. They skidded to a stop in the doorway and watched the scene before them silently. _

_ A woman lay in the bed, thrashing and flailing violently. Her pale skin was covered in a layer of sweat; her clothes clung to her body. She had white blonde hair, tangled with sweat. Dark blue eyes darted back and worth wildly like a trapped animals. Above her stood Echo, an exhausted, worn look on her face. Talatthor moved smoothly, quickly around the room as he mixed things in a bowl which he poured down the woman's throat. Her flailing stopped; a serene look came over her face as she went limp. Before they could turn away, Kili had opened his mouth and asked: what's wrong with her? _

"This isn't our room." Kili's voice jars Fili from his daydream. He looks around and sees Echo moving around a counter, gathering mugs and plates. She pauses, staring at him for a long moment as she nods.

"I am aware master dwarf. But right now the kitchen is the only place where nobody else will be eavesdropping or interrupt us." Wordlessly she hands them mugs of ale, pulling out chairs at a small table in a corner of the kitchen. The brothers sit down, exchanging a look.

"I'm sorry," Fili says quietly, watching as she loads up plates with food. "We did not mean to be rude. But we heard screaming and we—" She cuts him off as she holds up her hand.

"I know you did not mean anything by it, master Fili," Echo puts plate of food in front of them, pulling out her own chair. "Talatthor is very protective of Rawoneth."

"Are they courting?" Kili asks, swinging his legs beneath the table like a child's. Echo's face becomes drawn at the question; her emerald eyes darkening.

"They were, a very long time ago," Echo whispers; tugging on a piece of red hair. "When I first arrived here, Talatthor and Rawoneth were just friends. According to everyone else here, that's all they had ever been. But there was a day; Rawoneth had been attacked. By who, we do not know. But Talatthor was the one to find her and bring her back here. After that, they began to realize there was more than a friendship there."

"What happened next?" Fili asks, his tone soft. Echo looks at him; her emerald green eyes sending a jolt of electricity down his spine as she watches him.

"Rawoneth is the queen's daughter. When she found out about them, she was furious and threatened to banish Talatthor. Rawoneth begged, pleaded with her mother not to banish him. She said if she banished Talatthor, she would have to banish the both of them. The queen refused to allow him to stay. So they planned to run away together." Echo's face crumples, her fingers gripping the edge of the table. Kili opens his mouth but Fili shakes his head firmly. Echo loosens her grip, clearing her throat as she sits back.

"The day they planned to run away together, she went to work in the infirmary as always," Her voice cracks and she pauses to clear her throat. "Someone struck her over the head, knocking her out. She was then given a mixture that left her in a catatonic state. When she was found, she was unable to speak or move."

"Does she—can she—I mean she _was_ screaming…" Kili says awkwardly. Echo gives him a half smile, nodding.

"Most of the time, Rawoneth is asleep. Or she's in a sleep like state. When she does have those awake moments, she often begins screaming and thrashing." The princes sit silent; the air heavy.

"Are you ready to go back to your rooms?" Echo asks, rising from her seat. They nod weakly, leaving their dirty plates behind as they follow after Echo.

* * *

The three of us walk in silence from the kitchen; a heavy cloud of sadness following behind us until the dark haired dwarf speaks.

"How do you do it?" He blurts out, his voice echoing loudly in the empty hallway.

"How do I do what, master dwarf?" I look at Fili just to see the same look of confusion that must be on my own face. The dark haired one waves his arms around, gesturing to the large hallway.

"This place," He practically shouts. "How do you not get lost?"

"When I first came here, I used to drop handfuls of flower petals and rely on the smell it left in the hallways. But when that stopped working, I began using chalk," I stop in front of his room, opening the door for him. "Your servant will be here shortly after dawn to draw you a bath if you wish, bring you breakfast, master—" He grins widely, bowing deeply.

"Kili, at your service," He opens his door, stopping to glance back at me. "How do you know this is my door?"

"Your room is right next to your brothers," I smile as he blushes, giving me a faint smile as he goes into his room. "Do you require anything before you turn in master Fili?" I turn to him just to be met with a somewhat bitter expression. "Master Fili?" I whisper, reaching for his arm. My fingers brush his warm skin when he jerks his head up; a startled expression now on his face.

"What?" He asks, looking back at his brother's now closed door.

"I asked if you require anything before you turn in." He begins to shake his head, and then pauses, staring at me with his lips slightly parted. His mustache is braided I realize; two small ones hanging down by his lips, clasped at the end with beads. I feel my own cheeks heat up as I blush, clearing my throat.

"I have a question," Fili finally says, looking at me with stormy gray blue eyes. "You said earlier Talatthor was your brother. But now you've said he and Rawoneth were just friends when you first arrived here."

"Talatthor is quite a few years older than me," I whisper, aware of how close we are. Our chests are inches apart, both of our heads tilted down. "Talatthor is here on his own free will, I was brought here for a different reason."

"Why?" Fili whispers, the warmth radiating off his body in waves. I shake my head slowly, grabbing his wrist gently as I lead him towards his room.

"It is a story for a different time. Rest now, master Fili. I will see you in the morning." I promise him, bowing low. He nods, closing the door with a soft click. I stand there for a few moments; my knees weak as my hand burns from the warmth of his wrist.


	5. Emerald Eyes

Thank you so much to CrazyFanGirl18; Finduilas88; The Cajun Phoenix; storywriter108; IcePhoenix12360 and nbowels for the follows and favorites! I apologize guys...This week was awful. It was so stressful and I'm working on getting back into my routine. I thank you all so much for all the support.

storywriter108: I am so happy you like my stories. Honestly, this is actually probably my least favorite story xD

* * *

When I wake up once more, it is not to the sound of screaming. But the usual morning sounds: hushed conversations; pots and pans clanging; the quiet shuffling of boots is silenced by shouting, laughter and singing. I throw the covers back, tossing my nightgown aside and pulling on a gown for the day. I clumsily rush through lacing it as I rush towards the dining hall, the sounds growing louder and louder as I approach. I hesitate, holding my breath as I push the heavy doors wide open. At the head of the table, as usual, sits Queen Hinnorel, the picture of elegance. She calmly sips her tea, ignoring the chaos that goes on around her. Thorin Oakenshield glowers at her. The burly, muscular dwarf wearing knuckle dusters ignores her completely as he shoves food into his mouth. The white haired dwarf with the forked beard merely smiles; shaking his head affectionately as the princes and scribe throw food back and forth.

"It's been like all morning," Talatthor says, coming to stand next to me. He tucks a piece of hair behind my ear; refusing to meet my eye. "Dwarves are quite an interesting bunch."

"What exactly are they doing?" I wonder aloud as Fili walks across the table, offering mugs to everyone.

"The princes and Ori cornered me this morning when I went to change his sheets. They apologized for this morning and Kili asked me how they could make it up to me. So I told them." I cover my face, groaning quietly.

"You told them to anger her?" I nod towards the head of the table. Talatthor shakes his head; absentmindedly combing his fingers through my hair.

"Now there my dearest Echo, I would never dream of such a thing," Talatthor scolds. "I simply told them to not act as stiff as they had at dinner last night."

"So you told them to anger her?" I press, risking a glance at the head of the table where Thorin and the queen sit. Talatthor shakes his head once more, a small smirk coming to his lips.

"I never said any such thing. All I said was for our guests to act as they would at home," Talatthor waits, watching as I groan, covering my eyes with my hand. "I also asked that Fili escort you to the market today so you can get out." There's no stopping the grin that nearly splits my face in half as the words sink in. I squeeze his arm, whispering my thanks as I move towards the head of the table. I bow to Queen Hinnorel, my resolve melting as she turns her gaze on me.

"You woke up late, Echo." She says calmly, resting her chin on folded hands. I straighten up, nodding politely.

"I apologize, my queen," I'm all too aware of the eyes on me; the three dwarves surrounding her watching me curiously. "Rawoneth had an awake moment and she," I'm cut off with a growl as she turns her frosty gaze on me.

"Rawoneth is _not_ your concern," Her eyes scan the room, landing on Talatthor with a smirk. He frowns, tucking his hands behind his back. "She is not anyone's concern. And you will do well to remember that."

"Yes, my queen," I whisper, taking a shaky breath. "Do you require my services today?" She shakes her head, pushing her teacup away.

"No, I will be in conference all day. You may go get ready to attend the market with Prince Fili." I give a final bow, trying in vain to ignore the stunned sputtering of Thorin Oakenshield.

* * *

Ori waits until the dining room is nearly cleared out before he grabs Talatthor's arm; watching as the queen files out behind Thorin, Dwalin and Balin. The elf waits until the room is empty before he looks down at the scribe, a blank look on his face.

"Yes, master Ori?" Talatthor's voice is calm, his eyes unreadable as they look Ori up and down. Ori opens his mouth hesitantly, nearly losing his nerve as the taller man stares down at him. But he clears his throat; forcing himself to speak.

"Are you and Miss Echo courting?" Ori regrets the question immediately as the elf stiffens; his lips becoming a thin line. He stutters, rushing to apologize. "I—I—I'm so sorry, I did not mean to be so forward. Nor did I mean to cause offense, I was simply curious…I—I'm sorry…" His apologies are cut off by the roaring laughter of the elf, now hunched over and clutching his knees. Tears stream down his cheeks as he struggles to regain his composure, small chuckles still escaping his lips as he straightens up.

"Oh, please forgive me. I was not laughing at you," Talatthor reassures him with an apologetic smile. "May I ask why you wanted to know? Interested in Echo, perhaps?" Ori blushes to the roots of his hair as he plays with the hem of his knitted cardigan.

"It is just that, I saw you this morning. You kept playing with her hair and both of you were talking quietly. And then when you finished, she squeezed your arm." Ori says gravely, staring up at Talatthor.

"You did not answer my question, Master Ori," Talatthor teases, although his face is serious as he sighs. "We are not courting. I did intend to court a girl once."

"Was it that girl, Fili and Kili mentioned? Rawoneth?" Ori winces as he stumbles over the pronunciation but Talatthor's face remains warm.

"Yes, it was her," Talatthor whispers; moving to sit down at the still dirty table. "It's still her."

"You won't—you won't take another?" Ori whispers, tugging on one his braids. Talatthor shakes his head vigorously; his lips a thin line.

"I would never dream of courting another," He pauses, his gaze vacant as he stares off into space. "There are some times when she has lucid moments and she doesn't scream. She just cries. She cries and cries, Ori," Talatthor takes a shaky breath, rubbing a hand over his face. "I know when it's about to happen: Rawoneth opens her eyes and she looks around until she sees me. And then she gasps and tries to talk. But it never really happens. She just gasps and keeps struggling until she cries. But more and more often now, it's screaming fits." Tears fill Ori's wide brown eyes, threatening to spill over as Talatthor steps away from the table, clearing his throat.

"May I meet her?" Ori whispers, his voice echoing in the empty room. Talatthor freezes, his shoulders stiff as he turns around.

"Yes, yes," Talatthor promises, picking up the dirty plates and mugs from breakfast. Ori moves to help him and they work together in silence; their heads bowed low. It's not until they're almost to the kitchen does Talatthor turn around with a smirk that doesn't quite reach his eyes. "You may inform Master Fili that I am not interested in Echo." He says, winking and ducking into the kitchen; leaving the young scribe with his mouth gaping open and closed.

* * *

Fili sulks the entire walk back from the dining hall; his eyebrows furrowed as he glares at each passing servant. I glance back at him and can't help but giggle, clapping a hand over my mouth.

"What?" Fili grumbles, his eyes downcast. I shake my head, turning away from him. Fili sighs, slowing down even more. I stop, turning to look back at him.

"What is on your mind this morning?" I whisper, watching as Fili stares straight ahead, his stare a vacant one.

"I thought you didn't speak." Fili says, his tone venomous. I stop, biting my lower lip hard. I can't speak now; can't move as the words stab me in the chest. As I turn away from him, I'm faintly aware of the coppery taste of blood from my lip.

"Excuse me," I say weakly. "There is something I need desperately to attend to—I will ask the other servants and see if someone else can take you to the market." I move away quickly; unaware of the blood staining my lips; unaware of Fili standing there looking wounded; unaware of all of this as I stumble away. I don't stop until I slam into Talatthor's chest; his hands gripping my upper arms firmly.

"What happened?" He demands, looking at me with a steely gaze. I stare up at him in stunned silence as Talatthor puts a thumb to his own lip, his eyebrows furrowed. "You're bleeding." Behind him, the small redheaded scribe peers at me nervously wringing his hands.

"Should I get some help?" Ori asks. Talatthor shakes his head, handing over a handkerchief.

"Take care of your injury and then return to your duties." Talatthor says calmly, stepping around me, Ori trailing after him. I sigh, holding the handkerchief to my lips still as I walk back to my previous spot. Fili still stands there, a stricken look on his face as I grasp his arm, tugging him along after me.

"You're hurt…" Fili mumbles, his head downcast. I shrug, pulling the fabric away from my mouth.

"I just bit my lip a little too hard." I promise him. Fili mumbles something incoherent, watching his feet as we walk. He remains silent until we reach the door leading outside; two guards glaring down at us.

"What business do you have?" The sandy haired guard demands; looking back and forth between Fili and me. I bow my head, giving him a polite, strained smile.

"Echo, servant of Queen Hinnorel; serving Prince Fili, heir to the line of Durin," I ignore the surprised stare that Fili gives me; his eyebrows furrowed. "I have direct orders from the queen herself, Fili is to escort me to the market." The guard stares hard at me, his stare untrusting. Despite this, he nods at his partner, the two of them opening the gates with a bow.

"We hope you will enjoy your stay here, Prince Fili." The guards say in unison as we step outside of the gates. Fili looks over his shoulder with a look of fear and confusion as I inhale deeply, my head tilted back. Beyond the gates lies a forest: tall trees with thick trunks surround the path; guarding it. The path is shadowed by the leaves of the trees and when the wind blows, the shapes of the leaves dance across the path. I'm grinning with delight, practically jumping up and down on the balls of my feet while Fili looks sick, stunned.

"We're walking through all of this?" Fili asks weakly, pointing at the path that lies ahead. I snort, shaking my head.

"Oh, no," I sigh, titling my head back as a breeze blows. "I know a shortcut that we can take." I promise him, turning and moving into the cover of trees. Fili follows after me, a bit unsure on his feet.

"Last night," Fili says, coming up beside me. "You said Talatthor is here on his own free will but you are not."

"That I did," I nod. "I also said it was a story for another time. However, today is not that time," I hesitate, waiting for Fili to ask another question or comment. When he remains silent, I slow down, looking back at him. "What's it like, Fili—being able to go outside whenever you please?" A thoughtful look comes over his face as we step into a field; long, green shoots of grass brushing our clothes.

"I don't know," Fili finally says as we begin walking through the grass. "When I was a kid, I sometimes begged my mother to let go outside. And when she would give in, I would race outside to play."

"What did you look like as a child?" I turn to stare at the serious, blonde haired dwarf; struggling to picture him as ever being a carefree child. Fili chuckles lightly, twirling one of his mustache braids.

"My mother told me I was like a little lion." Fili says it with a bright, proud smile.

"Little lion…You, little lion," I whisper, looking him up and down. Fili stops, looking nervous under my stare. "When I first saw you, my first thought was that you reminded me of a lion." I confess, flushing pink as he chuckles quietly. I gasp softly as the breeze picks up, blowing my hair back from my face.

"I haven't felt the wind in months." I confess, tilting my head back. I close my eyes, the slightly chilled air tickling the bare skin of my neck. I sigh as Fili comes up behind me, a small smile on his face.

"Then feel it." Fili whispers in my ear, his beard rubbing the sensitive skin. A chill runs down my spine and I struggle to hold back a moan. I let my head loll, my nose turning into Fili's neck. I inhale deeply, opening my eyes to stare up at him. Fili stares down at me with a look that's partly amused, partly unreadable expression as I blink.

"You have blue eyes," I whisper, wrinkling my nose. "But not quite—they're kind of blue gray, like the clouds after a storm." A calloused thumb reaches up, stroking beneath my eye gently, carefully.

"And you have green eyes—emerald eyes." Fili whispers, his calloused thumb still stroking my cheek even after the breeze stops.


	6. Playing with Fire

Fili knew he should feel lucky to have found his one. Most dwarves never found their ones; subject to lives alone or lives dedicated to their crafts. He's lucky; he knows to have found Echo. But he can't help to feel jealous as he watches Talatthor talk so comfortably with her; as she squeezed his arm and smiled up at him. Her smile was gleaming, bright and sincere at breakfast. And not directed at me, Fili thinks bitterly. It was a bit childish maybe, asking Ori to talk to Talatthor and ask him to find things out about Echo. But when the redheaded elf turned her emerald eyes on him, Fili's throat went dry and scratchy as he struggled to find his voice. Right now they walk through the market, a basket on Echo's arm and a calm, almost vacant look on her face as she glides from vendor to vendor. Each time they go up to a stand, the vendor stares hard at Echo until they see Fili; an understanding then comes into their eyes as they give her what she wants. After the fifth vendor to give her a curious stare bordering on suspicious, Fili can't help himself.

"Why do they stare at you like that?" He asks; swallowing hard as she turns her gaze on him.

"Like I'm trying to rob them?" Echo's voice is calm. "Or that I have some dark secret?" Her lips quiver with a small smile. Fili forces himself to nod; his heart sinking as her lips purse.

"There are many things you do not know about us servants, Fili," Echo says softly, her voice a near whisper. "When we were informed that your uncle, Thorin Oakenshield would be coming to our kingdom, Queen Hinnorel called me, Talatthor and some others into her room. She groomed us, prepared us for your arrival. Did you know I snuck out the day you all arrived and saw you from the forest?" Fili's throat is dry, scratchy as he swallows, warmth filling his chest.

"You did?" Is all he can manage to say; Echo nodding and giving him a delicate smile.

"I needed to get out—it had been a long few weeks of lessons and work. I snuck out past the guards and hid behind a tree. I knew that I'd been assigned to you but I didn't know which one you were. I didn't see you again until dinner."

"You're the queen's personal servant are you not? Why would she be so willing to give you up?"

"Oh, she's not giving me up," Echo's tone is exasperated now. "She enjoys dangling me in front of people—especially Talatthor. She knows that he'll do anything to protect me and she loves to threaten him with me."

"Talatthor though, the night we arrived; he made fun of you," Fili reminds her. "He asked what the point of introducing you was since you didn't talk." Echo sighs, shifting the basket on her arms with a look of stress now.

"If he did not say something one of the other servants would have said something much worse. It was either Talatthor say something and the queen sort of comes to my defense with a backhanded comment. Or one of the servants says something much worse and nobody say a word." Fili's eyebrows furrow as he stares hard at Echo.

"You said you snuck out past the guards?" Fili prods. Echo sighs loudly, her arms crossing protectively across her middle.

"None of the servants are allowed out without Queen Hinnorel's permission and an escort," She pauses, looking at Fili with unshed tears in her eyes. "I miss the outside more than anyone will ever know—the air, the wind, grass; trees—flowers. What I wouldn't give Master Fili, to go home one more time. To go outside of my own free will, what I wouldn't give."

"I'm sorry Echo," Fili says softly, hesitantly reaching for her shoulder. "It was not my intention to upset you." Echo gives him an earnest smile, shrugging.

"It's quite all right Fili, please don't worry about it. I—oh," Echo stops abruptly, backing up sharply. Fili reaches up, bracing her shoulders as she stares ahead of them with a terrified gaze. Two women stand in front of them. One is tall, thin to the point of almost looking ill as she stares down her nose at Fili. Long dark black hair is swept back into a braid hanging over her shoulder; dark gray eyes watching with a mixture of curiosity and something Fili can't place as she stares both him and Echo up and down. The other woman is much shorter, darker skinned. She's heavier with wide hips, short choppy brown hair and a blank, almost vacant expression. Her light brown eyes flicker over Fili briefly before she snorts, stepping back with a headshake. Fili glares at the shorter woman; slightly unnerved as the woman's vacant expression remains unchanged.

"It's been a while Echo," The tall one says, her voice reedy. She pauses, stepping closer and leaning towards Fili. "Interesting company you keep these days," The woman reaches towards one of his mustache braids; letting out a high pitched whimper as Fili slaps her hand away. "Certainly not very nice company you keep." Echo doesn't bat an eye as she extends an arm towards Fili; her voice crisp.

"Bella, Naomi, please allow me to introduce you to Prince Fili, heir to the line of Durin. King Thorin Oakenshield is here for negotiations with Queen Hinnorel and I am serving him during their stay here." Echo's tone is frosty as she says the women's names; nodding curtly. "I must ask you Bella that you keep your hands to yourself." The tall one, Bella scoffs but backs away.

"Oh, very well then," Bella says, running her fingers over her braid. "I get it, Echo. Look but don't touch."

"How is Talatthor?" The shorter woman, Naomi interrupts, her voice lower, almost husky. She doesn't step closer, watching with suspicious eyes. Echo blinks and Fili sees her frosty demeanor melt a little bit. "And what of Rawoneth—how is she?"

"He is living day to day; clinging to simple hopes. As for Rawoneth her lucid moments are becoming less and less frequent."

"It will not be long then." Naomi concludes, looking at Echo with a fierce, determined look in her eyes.

"We thought as much—come Echo." Bella says firmly; grabbing Echo's arm and dragging her along before she can object. Fili growls, clenching his fists as Echo's pulled away. He's left with Naomi who stares at him with a curious expression.

"What race are you from?" Naomi asks, tilting her head. Fili crosses his arms over his chest, staring after Bella and Echo.

"I'm a dwarf." Fili all but growls, his irritation growing as Naomi's face remains unchanging as she stares at him.

"You are aware that Echo is an elf?" Naomi asks, raising a dark eyebrow. Fili clenches his fists tighter, his nails digging into his palms.

"I know what Echo is," Fili says sharply, taking a step closer to the short woman. She doesn't bat an eye though her lips quiver with a grin. "I know what I am—I know what she is. Do you have any more questions?"

"Queen Hinnorel takes things precious to other people and dangles them like a toy in front of them until she's tired of them. And then she will destroy them. Just as she did with Talatthor with Rawoneth; just as she will do with you and Echo," Fili stands frozen, his heart thundering in his chest. Blood roars in his ears as her words sink in. "I see the way you look at her; the protectiveness you hold over her. I know of dwarves; how they have a one. But Queen Hinnorel will not care; will not even take that into consideration. Her own daughter is fading right before her eyes and she could not show less emotion if she tried." The sound of approaching footsteps cut off their conversation as Naomi's face resumes its blank, vacant stare. Bella walks alongside Echo, a more subdued look on her face than before.

"Please give Talatthor our best," Bella's voice is softer, almost cracking as she clears her throat. She avoids looking directly at Echo; her eyes downcast.

"It really is for the best, Echo." Naomi says; giving Fili a final nod as she and Bella turn away. Fili and Echo stand together until they're out of sight; watching their forms slowly disappear.

"They know Talatthor?" Fili asks Echo, desperate to chase Naomi's words out of his head.

"Yes, yes," Echo says almost inaudibly as they move through the market. "They used to be his best friends."

"Used to be?" Fili smirks, nudging her shoulder with his own. "Did they try and touch his face too?" Echo snorts, shaking her head.

"Bella and Naomi didn't used to be like that," Echo mutters. "Bella used to be a lot less obnoxious and Naomi a lot happier. But then Talatthor left and they just sort of slowly adjusted to life without him. I don't remember the last time they've seen him."

"Let me guess, the queen won't allow them to see him?" Fili means it lightly; trying to coax one of the smiles that she gives Talatthor out for him. But Echo stiffens, turning sharply as she glares at him.

"There is much you do not know about Talatthor; about me," Echo says; her tone dangerously low. Her eyes have gone dim, frosty as she stares at him. "You're playing with fire, Master Fili. I would deem it wise for you to stop before you get hurt." She says, backing away from him with an arm protectively in front of her. Fili shoulders sag as Echo walks ahead of him; her back and shoulder rigid, her head downcast. With a dejected sigh, Fili follows behind her, his own head downcast.

* * *

Neither of them speaks on the way back. Echo walks stiffly, clutching the basket close to her chest. Fili doesn't even attempt to talk; watching his boots as they shuffle back towards the gates they left through earlier. The guards wordlessly open the gates; nodding at Fili. Echo looks at him as they enter through the gate; her eyes glazed and distant.

"I have to go put things away. Do you require anything before I do so, Master Fili?" Her voice is void of emotion as she watches him. Fili shakes his head, watching with an ache in his chest as Echo walks away; disappearing from sight. He doesn't even notice when Kili nearly barrels into him, sweaty and laughing.

"Fili, you're back," Kili cries excitedly. "How was your day with Echo?" Kili gives him an eager grin that falters quickly when he sees the broken, down look on his brother's face. "Fili, what happened?"

"I said the wrong thing and made her angry." Fili mumbles, resisting the urge to shrug his brother off. Kili gives him a sympathetic look, throwing an arm around his shoulder.

"It'll be okay, Fee," Kili says, squeezing his shoulder. "Would you like for me to braid your hair for dinner?" Kili was easily one of the worst braiders; stumbling over Fili's until he gave up with a groan. But his expression right now is so open, so earnest that Fili can't say anything but yes. Kili's grin nearly splits his face as he leads Fili towards his room; talking animatedly about his day. Fili barely hears it, his thoughts on Echo. Ori joins them halfway, a peaceful, tired look on his face.

"How goes the negotiations? Any news from Balin?" Fili asks Ori, trying his best to force a smile. Ori chuckles quietly, shaking his head.

"Apparently the queen enjoys trying her best to get a rise out of Thorin," Ori attempts to cover his smile behind his hand. "He just came by the hospital wing to inform me it was time to get ready for dinner."

"What were you doing in the hospital wing?" Kili asks, peering around his brother to get a better look on the scribe. Ori blushes; his cheeks turning bright red as he looks away from the prince.

"Mister Talatthor took me to meet Rawoneth," Ori says, a dreamy look coming over his face. Fili can't chase the words from his head as Ori stares into space dreamily: 'her own daughter is fading right before her eyes and she could not show less emotion if she tried.' Fili swallows hard, his throat constricting as he remembers the blank, vacant look on Naomi's face. "Oh, there he is! Mister Talatthor, Miss Echo!" Ori calls excitedly, his face dropping as the two turn around. Fili's stomach twists as he grimaces and beside him Kili audibly gasps; his jaw dropping. None of them notice Balin coming up behind them, tapping them lightly on the shoulders.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready for dinner, lads?" Balin asks good naturedly, his smile falling as he catches sight of what they're staring at. "Oh, my…" Echo and Talatthor stand in front of the hospital wing door; Talatthor's face and tunic are covered with drying blood, one hand pinching his nose as he attempts to smile at them. Echo's eyes are puffy and red rimmed; her cheeks tear streaked. Queen Hinnorel steps between them, a stony look on her face as her eyes flicker back and forth between the two.

"Have I made myself clear to you Talatthor?" She reaches up; gripping his chin firmly between her thumb and forefinger. Talatthor nods weakly, his hand still pinching his nose. "Echo, you are to serve me tonight and only me. Someone else will attend to you, Prince Fili. I apologize, my honored guests that you have to see my servants in such a state." She turns down the hallway; Echo following faithfully behind her. Talatthor stands silent for a moment, slowly letting go of his nose.

"I'll see you all tonight at dinner." Talatthor croaks, his voice gravelly as he follows after Echo and Queen Hinnorel. Balin clears his throat, clapping the boys on the shoulders.

"Why don't you all go and get changed for dinner, lads?" Balin suggests; his voice leaving no room for argument steers them towards their room.

* * *

Hard as he tries, Fili cannot get Echo to look at him during dinner. Her gaze is distant as she serves food; pours drinks and takes plates; all at the beck and call of the queen. But still her eyes pin down him from across the room, the sharp and bright emerald green. Even with his uncle's glares; Kili's snickers; Ori's dreamy sighs and Balin's warning stares, Fili continues staring. It's Dwalin that reminds him with an elbow to his arm with a sharp warning.

"Look at her ears, she's an elf! And a servant to the queen none the less—no good can come from pining after her." He warns, shaking his head as he takes a long drink of ale. But he knew already as she watched him; she was his one.

The woman's eyes pin down him from across the room, a sharp and bright emerald green. She doesn't look away from him once: as she pours drinks; serves food and runs at the beck and call of the queen. But it's Dwalin that reminds him with an elbow to his arm with a sharp warning.

* * *

This chapter took on a life of it's own...I was not disappointed.


	7. To Save Them

Warning: there are some major feels ahead. And next chapter will be filled with Fili/Echo and so much feels. Thank you so much to EquusGold; jchickybabe amphetamineR and BrightEyezzButterflyKisses for the favorites and follows! I appreciate it so much.

CrazyFanGirl18: Thank you so much. The next chapter will have a lot of Fili/Echo feels and bonding and fluffiness.

thatreadingkid: Thank you so much and I almost didn't use that name xD I was originally going to use the name Mary but it wasn't working. So I changed it and Naomi and Bella will become a huge part of the story later.

* * *

I go through dinner without a word, trying to be the most obedient servant I can as Queen Hinnorel watches me through half lidded eyes. Dinner is nearly over when she grabs my wrist, staring at me with a blank gaze.

"You and Talatthor may take your dinner now," She says calmly, almost coldly as she lets go of my wrist; waving me away. I bow, moving towards the servants table set in the corner with Talatthor following behind me. "No, not in here, Echo," Her voice is still calm though her eyes are sharp as I look over my shoulder. "Both of you take your dinner in the kitchen tonight." I nod weakly, tugging Talatthor behind me with a whispered 'yes, my queen,' as we flee to the kitchens. The kitchen is filled with other servants, eating dinner or talking. But the moment we step inside, they all go silent. And I can't blame them. Talatthor's face is streaked with dried blood; his cheek red and swollen. And for once, I know the pain he's felt all those times he saw my own bruised and bloodied face. I understand the pain as I wet a washcloth; wiping his face off under the scrutinizing stares of the other servants in the kitchen.

"This is the best I can do for now," I apologize, looking at his stained clothes. "You'll have to wash the clothes or toss them," Talatthor doesn't respond, his gaze distant as he rests his chin in his palm. I squeeze his shoulder, trying in vain to coax a smile from him. "Would you like any dinner?"

"No, thank you," Talatthor says; standing up painfully slow and glaring at the others staring. Some look away; others stare with unhidden curiosity, demanding to know what happened to him. "Come Echo, there are some things we need to discuss." With a final glare around the room, he turns and leaves the kitchen with me trailing after him. Neither of us speak as we walk; our heads downcast. We're nearly back to my room when we slow down, catching sight of a hunched figure standing. Talatthor puts a hand to my shoulder, pushing me behind him as we near the figure.

* * *

"M—M—Mister Talatthor, I'm sorry for getting you into trouble," I sigh as Ori lifts his head timidly, his eyes filled with guilt. "I went to the kitchen but you weren't there—and someone said they saw you both going this way…..Am I interrupting something?" His tone is embarrassed now as he looks over Talatthor's shoulder at me. Talatthor and I glance at each other, giving each other a nod of confirmation.

"Come with us, Ori." Talatthor says firmly, stepping aside as I open my door. He herds Ori into my room, setting him into a chair as I lock the door. Ori sits in the chair, his eyes darting nervously back and forth. Talatthor leans back against the wall beside him, a blank look on his face as I move to the dresser.

"We aren't going to hurt you," I promise him when a glance over my shoulder tells me that he's shaking. "Don't be so frightened, Master Ori. Tell me now; have you heard the story of Talatthor and Rawoneth?"

"N—no—Fili and Kili mentioned it once. But they didn't really say anything about it…" Ori's tone is so timid, so shy as he trails off; wringing his hands that it hurts. "Will you tell me…Please, Mister Talatthor?"

"Of course I will Ori," Talatthor says gently. I stop digging through the drawers, moving to join them. "I'm here of my own free will; I can leave whenever I please. I came in place of Echo. They wanted her but she was so young, too young. That I told them, I would go in her place until she was old enough to join me."

"Stubborn man…" I give him a light kick; not missing the small smile that flashes across his face.

"I was working as a cook in the kitchens when I arrived. Each morning my job was to cook breakfast for the princess and deliver it to her then immediately return to my duties. But every morning, Rawoneth and I would stand and talk. I never entered her room, mind you. I would stand just outside the doorway and we would talk about whatever she wished to talk about. After a few weeks of my working here, if she wasn't busy, she would come to the kitchens and have tea with me. It was just a simple companionship."

"How long was it until you came here Echo?" Ori asks, staring up at me.

"Six years," I whisper, looking anywhere but at Talatthor. "They were still just friends when I arrived."

"There was a day, Rawoneth travelled to visit a friend of hers. It was only supposed to be a week at the most—a week. She promised to be back in time for us to have tea together like we did every afternoon. But she was late and I knew; I just knew something was wrong. Queen Hinnorel sent out a search party. I was the one who found her—bleeding from an attack. Attacked by what, she couldn't remember. I carried her back here, talked to her the entire time and made her stay with us. I told her it wasn't a choice to go yet—we had to have our tea still. She was stitched up and began the healing process and I continued my duties; I brought her breakfast. Except she began insisting I sit by her bedside to talk. And when we had tea, she would lay her hand over my own. Or sometimes, force _me_, to sit down while she made it. We began courting in secret. That was the happiest time of my life."

"What happened next?" Ori whispers, his brown eyes wide with curiosity.

"As you know, Echo is the queen's personal servant; I was Rawoneth's. The other servants began talking. They all said it was inappropriate for a princess to be a associating with a nothing servant. Word spread to the queen that Rawoneth was spending more and more time in the kitchen with me and the other servants. She started missing lessons; meetings; training all for spending time with the servants. There was a night; we snuck out after dinner so I could give her my courting gift. Well, when I went to our meeting spot; the queen was there with some guards. I was beaten for betrayal to my queen and threatened with banishment. Rawoneth told her mother if I was to be banished that she better be banished as well. The queen refused and told her I was to be banished and Rawoneth and I to never see each other ever again. She didn't know it but Rawoneth and I had been planning to run away together for a long time. We decided that now was the time and planned for the day of my banishment. Only things didn't go as planned, you see. The day we planned to leave together, Rawoneth went to work in the infirmary as she always did. Someone came up behind her and struck her over the head, knocking her unconscious. While she was out, they slipped her a mixture of herbs that left her in a catatonic like state as you saw today. Word spread quickly somebody attacked the princess. I ran to the infirmary just to be blocked by some guards who said the queen wanted to have a word with me. Her words to me, Ori, were this: 'since it seems my daughter's been left in this state, she's in no condition to be courted; much less run away. You should be grateful this has happened, Talatthor. She will no longer be troubled over the pining of a lowly servant. This is truly for the best.' For the best, it's for the best!" He scoffs, stalking away angrily.

"You said she was going to banish you. But you're here now…" Ori seems to shrink into his baggy cardigan as Talatthor turns sharply.

"All they could do for Rawoneth was put her in a near constant sleep state. When she was awake, she screamed or just cried. You see, she realized there was no way for us to continue our courting if Rawoneth was in this sort of state. And she knew I would not leave; staying in the hopes that someday she would heal. And she knew I would not leave; staying for Echo. She won, Ori. She told me: 'I have thought about what I said. And I could simply not handle the thought of losing a servant such as you over something like this." Ori sits silent; his mouth gaping open and closed like a fish out of water.

* * *

"You must understand Ori," I begin, moving back towards the dresser. "What we are doing now is to save the both of them." I hold up a small satchel, shaking it gently.

"I have been writing letters to friends of mine; Bella and Naomi for years. They know of Rawoneth and I."

"I ran into them today and Bella gave me some herbs," I hold up the satchel. "The herbs will pull Rawoneth from this catatonic state. Rawoneth will be able to resume her life as it was." Ori's face nearly splits apart from his grin.

"Really?" Ori jumps up, looking back and forth between me and Talatthor. "Mister Talatthor did you hear that?" Talatthor nods, a small smile on his lips.

"Yes, I heard her, Ori," He whispers. "It's wonderful news." Ori's face falls at Talatthor's tone.

"What is it?" Ori demands; his eyes filling with suspicion. "What's wrong?"

"Rawoneth will have no memory of Talatthor. By giving her these herbs, it maintains her abilities and senses. But her memories of Talatthor will be erased completely." I whisper, swallowing hard.

"You can't do that to him," Ori cries angrily. "Echo, that's not fair!" Talatthor sighs, moving over to Ori and gently placing his hands on his shoulders.

"This situation isn't fair," Talatthor whispers. "But I am doing this to save her; to save myself. Freeing myself; freeing her of this prison will be my reward, Ori. The next time Rawoneth sees me, she will have a voice. She'll be eating and drinking. I may just be a servant again and the courting gifts I gave her will be nothing. But they will be so much to me. And that's—that's enough for me. Okay?" Ori nods; tears glistening in his eyes.

"I'm sorry Miss Echo for snapping at you," Ori turns towards me, his eyes widening. "Miss Echo?" He cries as I fall toward the floor; blackness clouding my vision. The last thing I hear is Fili's voice screaming, demanding to know what happened. As I stare up at the ceiling of my room; my head spinning, I see Fili's concerned face hovering over mine, worry filing his gray blue eyes. And I realize with a sudden sinking feeling in my chest, it's the same worry I've seen in Talatthor's eyes for Rawoneth many times before. And that's when everything goes black.


	8. Our Story

Thank you so much to SineNominae for the follow! Also guys, I will be going back to school on the eighteen so updates will be a little more spaced out and erratic. But I will do my best.

EquusGold: I love hitting people with the feels so much. XD

storywriter108: He is indeed and picturing him trying to be mean is just adorable.

Tarathel sister of Tauriel: Thank you and here you go

* * *

I wake up in an unfamiliar room with a slight throbbing in my head. Thick blankets are pulled up to my chin; plump pillows beneath my head. I groan, grabbing my head.

"Echo," A panicked voice comes from beside me. "What can I get you?" I turn my head to look at Fili, kneeling by the bed.

"Can you tell me what happened?" I ask, my voice slightly hoarse.

"Ori felt bad about what happened with Talatthor so he went to apologize after dinner. We didn't see him for a long time so uncle asked us to go look for him. I heard screaming coming from your room," He pauses; a sheepish look coming to his face. "I kind of broke the lock on your door. But you, Ori and Talatthor were all in your room and you had fainted."

"Where am I exactly?" I attempt to sit up just to be stopped by a firm hand from Fili. "I _know_ this isn't my room and I _know_ this isn't the hospital room."

"You're in my room." Fili's voice holds some smug satisfaction as he speaks.

"And just what will your uncle do if he comes in and sees me, not only in your room but in your bed?" I demand, raising an eyebrow at Fili. A smirk comes to his face as he grins.

"He'll ask me what in Mahal's name I was thinking." Fili's smirk widens as I roll onto my side, to face him better.

"Because I'm in your bed," I ask, raising an eyebrow. "Or he'll ask because I'm a servant?" Fili's smirk fades; his eyes darkening. We stare at each other for a couple moments; not speaking. It's Fili who breaks first, his head drooping.

"I'm sorry for being rude today," He mumbles, peeking at me from beneath golden eyelashes. "It was unbecoming of me as a prince to say such a thing out of jealously to you."

"Jealousy?" I repeat; watching as Fili's cheeks flush a bright red. "What do you mean?" I demand, placing a hand on his knee to help myself sit up. Fili inhales sharply, his eyes focused on my hand. "Fili," I prod gently. "What do you mean?" He lifts his eyes to mine, his lips parted slightly.

"You and Talatthor," He says; his voice husky. "You two are rather close—for siblings." Fili's voice drips venom at the mention of Talatthor's name. I sigh, drawing my hand away from his knee.

"I guess it's time you knew the truth about Talatthor and I," I mumble, pinching the bridge of my nose. "I was born in Bree to a she elf that was too ill; too tired and just too poor she felt to raise me. She just felt she could not do it. Talatthor was living with Naomi and Bella, friends, running an inn. My mother had been staying there for free in exchange for cleaning rooms and cooking meals," I pause, reaching up and touching my hair. "Whenever I was born, she stayed for a few weeks and continued working. But it was Talatthor, Bella and Naomi who took care of me."

"Did she not want you?" Fili asks; his tone blazing with anger. I shrug, biting my lower lip.

"I think she wanted me, deep down. But she knew that she couldn't raise me and felt they could do it better."

"What happened when she left?" Fili asks, scooting closer to the bed.

"Well in the mornings, she would go to work and one of them would take care of me. And the three of them just kind of switched throughout the day. My mother started to get antsy, wanting to leave. Two days before she left, she sat down with Talatthor, Bella and Naomi and said she'd like to have one day with me. She wanted to be able to see if she could handle caring for me. They allowed it—always standing nearby in the shadows though. Talatthor and Bella don't like talking about it. But Naomi said she was okay; just inexperienced and scared. She came to them that night and agreed: it would be my best interest if I was left with the three of them."

"What did they tell you?" Fili whispers; resting his chin in his palm.

"Never really talked about it," I shrug. "I just sort of thought every man or woman with red hair that came into the inn were my parents. I kept asking when my nana and ada would be there. But my questions kept being brushed off. Bella and Talatthor would always just give me a sweet or something else to distract me. Naomi waited until my tenth birthday and then she explained things to me. She told me about my mother and what had happened. Said she couldn't tell me where my father is—no idea who he even was."

"Aren't you angry at her?" Fili asks me, his eyes wide. "In dwarf culture children are so rare, they're a treasure! And abandoning them is a great dishonor."

"I was once," I nod, my voice quieter. "We were struggling to keep the inn going. Queen Hinnorel was staying there and offered an exchange with us. I'd been serving their table that night and she kept her eye on me the entire time. After service was over; she asked us if she could speak to us all. She asked how long I had been serving tables which had been a year and a half. She went on to say that she would offer them supplies: food, ale, linens—whatever we needed she said if they would let her have me," I don't miss the way Fili tenses, his jaw clenching with anger. "Well of course, they pitched a fit and said absolutely not. Queen Hinnorel reminded them: she was a very powerful woman with many people at her command. And she would get her way, one way or another. Talatthor argued I was much too young and they needed me. They agreed to take him in my place and I would join when I came of age," I wait for Fili to ask a question; interrupt me. But when he doesn't, instead sitting with an open, earnest expression; I clear my throat and push on. "I was forty four at the time and it was decided, they would return six years later when I came of age after my fiftieth birthday. We kept on with life, running the inn with the occasional, erratic letter from Talatthor. He never made a mention of Queen Hinnorel coming for me. Whenever any of us mentioned it in a letter, he ignored it. I was cleaning a room when they came; I looked up and saw them through the window. I ran downstairs to warn Naomi. But they were already there in the tavern, waiting for me. I panicked and tried to run. But the guards grabbed me and carried me back across one of their horses. I screamed—I screamed all through Bree and cried for Naomi and Bella until my throat hurt too much. I started back up whenever we got here though. They kept me away from Talatthor; isolated me in case of diseases, they said. I just kept screaming and crying. I refused to eat, drink, and really do anything until they let me see Talatthor. Each time someone opened my door, I kept hoping it was him. And when it wasn't, I tried to run out and escape. But each time, they caught me and would bring me back into here. They beat me, threatened to kill me and sometimes even make Talatthor watch. The worst thing was how they mocked me though. Each time servants saw me after I was released; they would scream my name in the hallways so it would echo off the walls, knowing I wouldn't speak." Fili leans forward slowly, resting his head against my shoulder. He shakes his head, the beads on his mustache braid clinking quietly.

"I'm sorry," Fili whispers, his tone regretful. "Mahal, I'm sorry Echo…" I reach up, hesitating before I lower my hand away from his head.

"I'm not angry at them anymore," I confess, resting my cheek against his head. "I threw my anger into my work and it eventually just sort of drained away. Day by day, I was a little bit less angry until eventually I felt—alive," Fili lifts his head to look at me, eyebrows furrowed. "I'm not okay but I'm alive." I give him a tiny smile, nodding affirmatively. A shy, almost timid knock raps on the door and we exchange a nervous glance.

* * *

"Who is it?" Fili calls, his eyes still wide.

"It's just me," Ori's timid voice calls. "Talatthor said he needs, Miss Echo in the hospital wing as soon as possible, please." Guilt settles heavy on my chest as I close my eyes, remember the task I'm about to carry out.

"Is everything all right, Echo?" Fili asks me, his eyes worried. I start to nod; sighing as I shake my head.

"I will need you and Ori to come with me," I throw the blankets back; stepping out of the bed on unsteady legs. "Please." I add, looking up at him. Fili nods solemnly, grabbing hold of my hand as I attempt to steady myself.

"Whatever we can do to help," Fili says as I take his arm, walking slowly towards the door. "We will do it." We open the door to Ori, his head downcast with an expression mixed between guilt and worry.

"Are you okay, Miss Echo?" Ori asks; staring down at his boots.

"Yes, Ori," I promise though my head still throbs. "Come on—we have to help Talatthor." We move silently towards the hospital wing; guilt and fear heavy in the air like a blanket. As we approach the door, I look at the two dwarves. "You understand: nothing of what you see in here can be discussed outside of the four of us?" Both of them nod; their eyes grave. I take a deep breath, opening the door slowly. Talatthor stands in front of a table; the herbs set before him.

"Echo, come here and begin creating the mixture. Fili, Ori stand by her beside; I don't know if she'll thrash or not," Talatthor doesn't look up as he gives orders; his voice tight. "Do not hurt her though." I slip my arm from Fili's, moving towards where Talatthor stands. I wordlessly take the herbs from him, taking a bowl from the cabinet.

"Can we be sure this will work?" Ori asks; his voice shaky. Talatthor looks up sharply as he moves towards Rawoneth, running his fingers through her tangled hair.

"Fili, have you been informed of what's going to happen in here?" Talatthor asks, not looking up from Rawoneth.

"No but Echo told me the story of you two," Fili says, glancing at me. "What's going to happen?"

"We are going to heal Rawoneth from her catatonic state. But…It will leave her with no memory of me." I turn towards them, holding up the small bowl.

"It's ready, Talatthor," I whisper, moving slowly towards the bed. "Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

"I _need _to," Talatthor says, giving me a hard stare. "Do it Echo, please." His voice cracks, driving a dagger into my heart as I move forward. Talatthor lifts her head gently, parting her lips with another reassuring nod. I lift the small bowl which gives off a bitter scent, pouring the liquid down her throat. Talatthor inhales sharply as he lowers her head onto the pillow; Fili and Ori standing by with expectant, worried expressions.

"It'll be okay, Rawoneth," Talatthor whispers, his voice hoarse. "Soon everything won't be black and white anymore." He promises as legs stiffen, curling in towards her chest. Fili starts reaching for her, stopping as I shake my head.

"You've been so missed by everyone," My voice cracks as her arms twitch. "Come back."

"How long is this supposed to take?" Ori whispers, looking nervously at me. I shrug, inhaling sharply as I look at her face. Her pale skin was darkening; regaining its warm, tawny tone. White blonde hair thickens, becoming golden, warmer. I don't realize I'm gasping until as her eyes slowly flutter open until Fili grasps my arm; his own eyes wide. Rawoneth stares up at the ceiling, rubbing at her eyes. Slowly she tilts her head left, catching sight of Talatthor. Her lips part with a surprised, confused look.

"Where am I?" She asks; sitting up slowly, blinking sleepily. She focuses her gaze on Talatthor, raising a golden eyebrow. I move from behind Fili, giving her a small, weak smile.

"Princess Rawoneth," The words are thick, awkward on my tongue. "You were attacked and rendered unconscious."

"Did I just awaken?" She asks, looking around the hospital wing. But still her gaze lands on Talatthor. "Don't I know you?" Rawoneth asks him; missing the startled, somewhat hopeful look on his face. Talatthor shakes his head, his eyes darting around the room.

"No, Princess Rawoneth," His tone is strained, polite. "I am but a humble servant." Rawoneth nods affirmatively, glancing at me once more.

"Excuse me while I go find my mother," She stands up slowly, giving us a polite nod. "Good night to you all." I watch Talatthor as Rawoneth leaves the room, her footsteps fading down the hallway.

"Talatthor," I begin, just to be cut off by him as he turns on me sharply.

"I must clean up the hospital wing," His voice is tight, controlled. "I believe you can lead Fili and Ori back to their rooms?" I nod; leading them out of the room. We're not even halfway down the hallway when the sounds of broken sobs escape the hospital wing.


	9. An Errand

I made it through my first three days of school guys! I feel a little bit overwhelmed. My schedule is a little crazy and I'm honestly super exhausted. I had a small scale anxiety attack this morning right before my first class...So yeah, it was kinda shitty. Thank you so much to Enora29, Akin to Wonder and Dragon of Selene for the favorites and follows! It's greatly appreciated.

storywriter108: I'm kinda working with Queen Hinnorel still. You'll find out something more about her in the next chapter.

EquusGold: I'm glad you liked her back story. I honestly hadn't thought of it up until that point and sorta pulled it out of my butt XD

* * *

It's not Echo but an unfamiliar elf that Fili wakes up to the next morning; bustling around his room. The elf barely glances at him as they open the curtains; allowing bright sunlight to spill into the room.

"Good morning Master Fili. Breakfast will be ready shortly if you wish to go to the dining room." Fili nods blankly as the new servant's dry voice fills the room.

"Where is Echo?" Fili asks huskily; worry clenching his chest. The elf shrugs, not even sparing him a glance as they leave the room. Fili throws the covers back, quickly getting dressed as he rushes towards the dining room. Fili doesn't bother with apologies as he nearly mows down servants in his rush. He bursts through the dining room doors, panting; his cheeks flushed. He realizes with a flush of embarrassment as everyone turns to look at him that he forgot to braid his hair.

"Is everything okay, young prince?" Queen Hinnorel asks; a smirk clear in her voice as she stares at him over the top of her tea cup. Fili does a quick scan of the dining room and realizes with another stab of panic that Echo isn't here.

"Excuse me, Prince Fili," A new voice comes from behind him, not Echo's. Fili turns with a start and finds himself staring at Princess Rawoneth. "You're blocking the doorway." Fili blushes, mumbling an apology as he steps aside, allowing her to pass. Fili slinks after her, dejected, his head downcast as he slides into an empty seat.

"I don't believe we've been properly introduced," Rawoneth says from the head of the table, her eyes flickering over everyone. "Princess Rawoneth, daughter of Queen Hinnorel." She curtsies; sitting down across from Ori.

"I was unaware you had a daughter," Balin says cautiously, looking at the queen with a raised eyebrow. "Has she been away, my lady?" Queen Hinnorel doesn't miss a beat; fixing her blue gray eyes on Balin with a trained calmness.

"Rawoneth has been ill, you see. Unfortunately she has been laid in bed for months on end," She says smoothly; her lips twitching into a half smile. "I am quite happy to say she has the strength to rejoin us." Balin gives her a small smile, nodding politely.

"Ah, I see." He nods at the princess. Fili doesn't lift his head as he asks; unable to meet Rawoneth's eyes.

"Do you know where Echo is, princess?" Fili asks. "I only ask because I woke up to a different servant than her."

"Mister Talatthor wasn't in my room this morning either." Ori says hesitantly, hiding his face in his scarf as everyone turns their gaze on him.

"Ah, I apologize to you both," Rawoneth winces, her eyebrows furrowed. "I ran into Master Talatthor this morning and he looked rather ill. He was in no condition to work. As for Miss Echo, I sent her on an errand for me." Ori looks visibly relieved; his shoulders sagging. Fili however only tenses as he stands up sharply, his chair scraping loudly across the floor.

"Is everything okay lad?" Balin asks him; his eyebrows furrowed. Fili swallows hard, nodding sharply.

"I don't feel well this morning," Fili chokes out, avoiding his brother and uncle's eyes. "I think I'll go back to my room for a while." Balin stands up, his eyes and tone firm.

"I'll escort you back lad," He gives everyone a polite smile, turning and following after Fili. "It's a pleasure to meet you this morning, Princess Rawoneth. May you continue to recover." Balin waits until the heavy doors of the dining rooms close with a loud boom; clamping his gloved hand down on Fili's shoulder and steering him into an unfamiliar room.

"What is it Balin?" Fili asks, lifting his head to look at the white haired dwarf. Balin stands in front of him; his arms crossed with an unreadable expression on his face.

"What are you doing?" Balin asks; his eyes soft as he stares at Fili. "Our time here is limited. Whenever your uncle finishes the negotiations we will return to the mountain. I know this is not a simple infatuation, Fili." Fili sighs, looking away from Balin, shamefaced.

"Are you going to tell uncle?" Fili's shoulders are stiff as he asks; looking anywhere but at Balin.

"It's a wonderful thing for a dwarf to find his one," Balin muses, tugging lightly on his beard; a thoughtful look on his face. "A wonderful thing indeed to find your one," Balin muses; a smile spreading beneath his beard. He gives Fili's shoulder a firm squeeze as he turns away. "I suggest you fix your hair before you go see her lad." Fili sighs in relief, rushing towards his room with a bright smile on his face.

"Oh, good morning, Fili," Someone whispers weakly as Fili slams into them. Fili grabs hold of their shoulders, straightening them up. His throat goes dry as he stares up at the pale, gaunt face of Talatthor. "It's a good morning isn't it? Rawoneth is doing well—yes, it's a very good morning." He mumbles.

"Aren't you supposed to be in bed?" Fili tries to make his tone light but its flat as Talatthor struggles to stand up on his own.

"I went to the kitchens for some tea and heard other servants complaining of one of the dwarf princes; nearly knocking them all down." Talatthor raises an eyebrow, a small smile tugging at his lips. Fili blushes, chuckling lightly.

"It wouldn't have happened had they gotten out of the way," Fili says, his stomach twisting with worry as Talatthor's cloudy eyes refuse to fully focus. "Allow me to be at your service, Master Talatthor and escort you back to your room?" Talatthor shakes his head weakly, taking a step back.

"That's quite all right, Fili. I can manage." Talatthor promises him, slipping something into Fili's open hand. Talatthor closes his hand with a raised eyebrow, nodding as he turns and limps back towards his room.

* * *

An hour later Fili walks down a path; cursing and mumbling to himself as he tugs on one of his mustache braids. It shouldn't have been this damn hard to find Echo. But there were no signs of her tiny footsteps from the castle; no grass crushed; nothing disturbed to show any signs that someone had been through the area. He continues walking for nearly thirty more minutes before he stops; throwing his hands up with a groan.

"Really now, Fili," He nearly melts at the silky voice. "Talatthor gave you directions and shortcuts and you still got lost." He looks over his shoulder to catch sight of Echo hanging upside down from a branch, her hands holds folded across her stomach.

"Is a part of running your errand hanging upside down?" Fili smirks, moving closer to her.

"My errand was to get some fresh air, relax a little bit…Loosen up," Echo snorts, shaking her head. "I don't do relaxation."

"And why don't you?" Fili asks; kneeling in front of her.

"I live to serve others from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to bed. The only moments I really get relaxation is when we eat. But even then, it's not all that great. If someone needs anything, you're expected to jump up and do your job." Fili doesn't speak for a moment, watching as her eyebrows furrow.

"I know what that's like," Fili says softly, rubbing at his chin. "Not being a servant, that part. But I understand what it's like to be constantly with others; never a moment alone because someone else is preparing you for the next thing."

"Whenever I was living at the inn, there were a lot of nights I could never sleep. I would just toss and turn until I gave up. And then I would wander downstairs and always find someone: Bella, Naomi or Talatthor sitting up too. Sometimes there would be someone from the inn with them, drinking or telling stories," Echo pauses to pull herself up. Fili sits silently; watching as she drops down. "I was around others all day long but I was never really with them."

"What were they like at the inn?" Fili scoots closer to her; watching as her head lolls back and forth, her cheeks flushed. "Talatthor seems so—"

"He was protective of us all. If he felt like someone was going to cause trouble to try to harm others, he refused them service. But he would sit with others for hours and tell stories and talk if they wanted him to," Fili couldn't picture Talatthor, the gaunt and pale elf he'd seen this morning ever sitting with others and having a merry time. "You don't want to hear about my life now do you, Fili?" Echo questions; raising a slender eyebrow.

"I like your voice," Fili confesses, brushing a stray lock of red hair from her face. To his delight, Echo blushes, looking down at her lap. "I would love to hear anything and everything about your life—as much as you want to tell me, that is." Echo lifts her head slowly, biting her lower lip as she stares at him.

"What do you want to know?" Echo asks, a small smile coming to her face.

"Tell me about Bella." Fili regrets the words almost instantly as Echo's face falls slightly; a blank mask taking its place.

"She was paid to make men happy," Echo shrugs. "It was never love though, she said. Tally said she only really ever gave her heart to me when I was born."

"Who is Tally?" Fili asks; his chest warming as she giggles into her palm.

"Whenever I was a baby, I could not say Talatthor so instead, I called him Tally," Echo's smile doesn't falter as she stares at him. "The only other people allowed to call him that were Naomi and Rawoneth."

"And what is Naomi like?" All he remembered from his encounter with the woman was her stony expression and stiff posture as if waiting for someone to jump out and attack. But she had known that Echo was his one. Fili frowns, not noticing Echo's gaze as she licks her lips.

"She really loved all of us," Echo muses. "Naomi's always been quiet and sort of stand offish. But when I was born, a lot of times, they would find her sitting with me; just cooing and talking to me like we were the only ones in the room."

"Would they buy your freedom?" Echo turns to look at him slowly, raising an eyebrow. "If they could, I mean—I mean if they could, have the money would they buy your freedom for you. So you and Talatthor wouldn't have to live here anymore."

"Well you see, I don't know what her plans for me are," Echo mumbles, staring down at her hands. "Sometimes the servants that are here of their own free will just leave without warning and nothing's really said about it. We talk about it for a while but that's it."

"And those with debts, what happens to them?" Fili asks; his eyebrows furrowed. Echo's eyebrows furrow as she bites her lower lip.

"There's a place, a record room. Everything about us is documented: when we arrive; family; our background—you could find out there," Echo shrugs. "But the thing is; the doors locked and the only ones who can get in there are those with the keys. The documenters have the keys and they're closely guarded," Echo sighs, suddenly looking exhausted as she stands up and stretches. "Are you ready?" Fili nods wordlessly, moving after her and back onto the path. Echo's silent for a few moments, her shoulders sagging.

"How did you get lost?" She finally asks, raising an eyebrow. "Talatthor gave you directions." Fili raises an eyebrow as Echo nods towards his clenched hand, holding the folded piece of paper. He opens it up; staring with confusion at the poor scribbles of paths; rivers and grass. He holds up the small piece of paper with an incredulous look.

"This?" Fili cries, shaking it. "You call these directions?" Fili demands as Echo laughs warmly.

"Now I never said he was good at giving directions," Echo defends, still laughing. "He's always had a sixth sense of where I'll be. But trying to describe it to someone else is nearly impossible for him." Echo mumbles as they approach the gate. Ori's there to greet them, an eager smile on his face.

"Miss Echo, I have someone I want you to meet!" Ori cries happily, smiling widely at the redheaded elf. Fili frowns, glancing at Ori with a raised eyebrow. Ori ignores him, running back inside and pulling someone out behind him. "My brother, Nori came to visit me. Nori, this is Echo." Fili drowns out the rest of Ori's speech; gritting his teeth as Nori looks Echo up and down.

"If I didn't come then Dori would have come down here himself and busted down the gates," Nori mutters, smiling wolfishly at Echo. Fili knew that Ori had spoken briefly to Echo before about Dori and Nori. He'd mentioned Nori being a thief once. Echo stares at Nori now, her eyes glinting as she looks him up and down. "Didn't take you to fancy elves, Ori," Nori teases, twisting his little brother's ear lightly as he flushes. "I can't say I blame you though." Fili growls possessively; crossing his arms over his chest.

"It doesn't matter what I am," Echo says smoothly, pressing a hand lightly to Fili's arm. "All that matters is you're my best friend in the world right now."


	10. Plans

The dwarves trail behind me, talking quietly. Each servant we pass pauses, bowing to their dwarves with a small nod.

"Do the others know you've arrived?" I ask, glancing over my shoulder at the star haired dwarf, Nori. He snorts, shaking his head with a tiny smirk.

"Dwalin would have my head if he knew I was here." Nori says, his smirk widening "Will I get my own personal tree shagger while I'm here?" Beside him Ori hisses through clenched teeth, cuffing his brother on the shoulder.

"Of course," I promise; ignoring the insult. "I'm sure Talatthor will not mind." We step into the kitchen where Talatthor stands, covered with flour as he kneads some dough.

"What will I not mind doing?" He asks, not even glancing up from his task.

"You will not mind taking on another dwarf. Talatthor meet Nori, one of Ori's older brothers. He has a skill that could be very useful to us."

"And what skill is that?" Talatthor slows down, lifting his eyes to stare at the star haired dwarf. "If you would be so kind as to enlighten me." Nori's eyes glint with pride as he looks Talatthor up and down.

"Stealing," Ori mutters, staring down at his booted feet. "Nori is a thief." Talatthor stiffens as he turns to gaze at him; his eyes steely.

"Echo," Talatthor says coldly; moving towards me. "Surely you're not doing what I think you're doing." I raise my head defiantly, gritting my teeth.

"I have a right to know." I mutter; crossing my arms over my chest. Behind me, Fili walks up, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"I've told you all I know, Echo." Talatthor snaps.

"Aren't you curious?" I demand. "Aren't you the least bit curious?" My voice cracks and I feel my cheeks flush with embarrassment. Talatthor's face softens as he sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Get him some food and we will discuss things with them," He glances towards the kitchen door. "Lock the door." Fili gives my shoulder a firm squeeze; moving towards the door and pulling the heavy wooden bolt down. I move around the kitchen, filling a plate with food and a mug with ale that I place in front of Nori. The star haired dwarf barely nods at me as he digs into the food.

"So what is exactly that you need me for?" Nori asks between bites. Both Kili and Ori give me questioning glances while Fili just glares at Nori.

"There's a place in the castle, you can't miss it. It's the record room—it has everything on all the servants that have ever come to the castle. Our names; backgrounds; whatever you want to know about us." I say. Talatthor walks up, taking his place at my shoulder.

"The doors remain locked at all times. The only ones who have access to the room are the record keepers." Talatthor adds. Nori pauses in his eating, glancing up at us with narrowed eyes.

"So you want me to break into this room?" Nori asks, raising a braided eyebrow. "What will you give me in exchange?" I glance back at Talatthor, biting my lower lip.

"Anything," I promise. "We'll give you anything." Ori looks at his brother sharply, his arms crossed over his chest.

"He'll do it for nothing." Ori says, giving his brother a look that challenges him to say otherwise.

"This task is not without risk," Talatthor warns; his eyes narrowed. "This is not just some jewelry, food or coins. Understand this: we will give you anything—but this is not without risk." Nori rests his chin in his palm, looking at both Talatthor and I with calculating eyes.

"I'll do it," Nori promises. I nearly sigh with relief until I see his eyes narrow. "But I must know what I'm getting from the room. If the records are written in Elvish then I can be of no use."

"Just look for our names: Talatthor and Echo." Talatthor says, staring hard at Nori.

"What will he find in there?" Ori asks; his eyes wide with fear for his brother's safety. I wince, clearing my throat.

"I can't tell you what he'll find because I don't know," I whisper apologetically. "We'll give you anything." I look up at Nori. He stares at me silently, his eyes narrowed. He finally sighs, pointing at Ori.

"You owe me big for this." Nori warns his little brother. I sigh with relief, smiling at Talatthor. He gives me a smile back albeit it's more like a grimace. His head snaps us sharply as he looks to me, tapping a finger against his lips.

"Someone's coming." He warns, moving towards the door. Talatthor quickly lifts the bolt, turning and walking back towards his task.

"No talk of this." I whisper to the dwarves as the door creaks open. It's Rawoneth who steps through the door, peering inside tentatively. Talatthor and I turn towards her, bowing.

"Welcome Princess Rawoneth," Talatthor greets, his head still bowed. "How can we be of service?" She puts her hands on her hips; giving Talatthor a small glare.

"Didn't I tell you to stay in bed today and rest because you weren't well enough to work?" She asks. Talatthor has the decency to look sheepish as he nods.

"That you did and I'm feeling much better now." She nods, turning towards me.

"And you Echo, did you enjoy your time out?" Her voice is not mocking as she waits for my answer. I nod politely, bowing my head. "Did you get the items I requested for the servant's ball?" I have to bite my lip to keep from groaning.

"Servant's ball?" Ori's curious voice interjects.

"What's a servant's ball?" Kili asks.

"I forgot," I mutter, glancing over my shoulder at the dwarves all staring at me. "And the servant's ball is an excuse for all the servants to get wasted and make asses out of themselves." Talatthor snorts, shaking his head.

"Echo hates the servant's ball," Talatthor says lightly. "And it's an annual event we have for the servants here. There's food, alcohol—dancing. It's a night off for all of us."

"I'll go to the market and get them now," I promise her, looking towards Fili. "Would you mind escorting me?" Fili nods, standing up and following me out of the kitchen.

* * *

As soon as we're out of earshot, I sigh and look apologetically towards Fili.

"Thank you for escorting me. I was supposed to go and buy things for the ball today but I got sidetracked." Fili barely nods; his eyes stormy as we walk. His normally light blue gray eyes are dark; his arms crossed over his chest. "What is bothering you?" Fili's head snaps up; pink tinting his cheeks.

"What makes you believe something is bothering me?" Fili mutters, his arms still crossed tightly over his chest.

"Well for one your eyes aren't nearly as light as they normally are. And you're being very short with everyone." Fili looks at me with an expression of shock, his cheeks turning brighter red.

"My eyes," Fili's voice is husky, sending waves of warmth over me. "You noticed my eyes changed?" I clear my throat, clasping my hands.

"Well yes," I whisper, trying to ignore Fili's eyes trained on my face. "Your eyes are usually light blue and gray. When you're happy or laughing, they start to twinkle. But right now, they're dark." I clear my throat again; my cheeks flushing a bright red. Fili is silent for a long moment, his eyes carefully watching me.

"What do you know about dwarves?" He asks carefully, tugging on one of his mustache braids.

"Dwarves only came to the inn on a couple occasions. But the rare times I saw them, they always had very elaborate braids and beards. Very lively people—they always seemed to be laughing and telling stories. I heard them sometimes speaking another language."

"Khuzdul," Fili makes a humming sound, nodding affirmatively. "It's the language of my people," He pauses, glancing at me with a strange look. "Do you know about ones?" I shake my head.

"No, I can't say I have," I confess. "What is a one?" Fili's cheeks flush red as he looks away from me, clearing his throat.

"Dwarves love once in their lives. That's not to say we don't love our family. We love fiercely and are protective over those we love. But every dwarf has a one—the one Mahal created for us."

"That sounds romantic." I murmur dreamily. Fili nods although his face is a bit drawn.

"Well, it can be if the dwarf actually finds their one. A lot of us aren't lucky enough to ever find our ones."

"And have you found your one?" I ask him; a small twisting feeling in my stomach as he ducks his head.

"I believe I have," Fili says thoughtfully, fiddling with one of his mustache braids. "What about you, Echo? Have you ever been courted or had someone special?"

"No, not really," I shrug. "I was always too busy helping at the inn and nobody ever really caught my eye." Fili hesitates for a moment, taking a deep breath before he speaks again.

"Do you take someone with you to the servant's ball? I mean besides Talatthor that is."

"Some servants come together in groups—those from the kitchen will come together or the people who do the cleaning. Sometimes servants will come together….But it's usually not for romantic purposes. They plan to get drunk together and go off to a room for the night."

"Could I—I mean could we come to the servant's ball?" I slow down, my throat going dry. Fili's eyebrows furrow, his expression growing concerned. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No, no, you didn't say anything wrong. It's just that….Well, it's for the servants, it's the one night off we get really. And they'll be furious if I bring you in." I wring my hands, staring anywhere but at Fili.

"Do you ever break the rules, Echo?" His tone is teasing, his eyes light. I sigh, shaking my head.

"If you come, you won't be able to wear those clothes." I gesture towards his leathers and furs. Fili's face takes on an offended look as he stares down at himself.

"What's wrong with my clothes? They're some of the best I have." Fili plucks at his tunic, frowning.

"Exactly that," I can't help but smile at his confused expression. "Have you seen any of the others wearing leathers or furs?" Fili pauses, taking in my worn red tunic and skirt.

"No, I haven't." He says, looking away shamefaced.

"We all dress up a bit—put on our nicest clothes we have and wear jewelry to signify our ranking here. Just wear something a little less fancy," I suggest, flicking one of his mustache braids. Fili stiffens, inhaling sharply. "Would you mind escorting me tonight?" Fili barely nods, his eyes wide. "I'm already bending the rules by bringing someone else in—why not break them completely?" I whisper. Fili smirks, tucking a stray piece of hair behind my ear.

"Why not, indeed Echo?" Fili whispers, still holding onto my hair.

"I'm going to get you in trouble." I warn him, shaking my head.

"You're worth every bit of trouble." He whispers as we resume walking down the hallway; completely unaware of the eyes watching us.

* * *

BrooklyntheElf: Thank you so much and I haven't decided what her original name will be. We'll find out next chapter :3 thank you so much for the favorite! So this chapter was a lot of talking with a little bit of Fili/Echo. But it all sets up the next chapter for the servant's ball.


	11. Servants Ball

Fili stands in his room, tugging on one of his mustache braids. His clothes are spread out on the bed before him. They all seem too formal, too fancy—too much. Tossing his head back with a groan, Fili moves towards his bedroom door; yanking it open irritably.

"What?" He growls, glaring halfheartedly at his brother, Nori and Ori.

"Mahal brother," Kili says wide eyed. "What's bothering you?" Fili gives a defeated sigh, ushering the three dwarves in.

"Echo told me today that our clothes were too fancy to wear to the servant's ball," Fili gestures towards the clothes piled on the bed. "She said to wear something a little less—formal." He looks towards the others. Ori was wearing his usual baggy cardigan, knitted by Dori over some worn trousers. Nori was weighed down by his dark leather jacket over a simple tunic and trousers. There were probably countless knives and daggers hidden in his clothes, Fili thinks mirthlessly, looking towards his brother. Even his brother had no trouble in getting dressed; wearing a dark blue tunic tucked into some trousers. His worn trousers, Fili notes.

"You don't know how to get dressed?" Nori asks, a smirk playing on his lips. Fili glares at him, shaking his head.

"I _know_ how to get dressed!" Fili snaps, turning towards the bed. "It's just…" Kili's nearly buzzing with excitement as he looks at Nori and Ori.

"Echo's his one," Kili crows, his eyes bright with excitement. Fili curses under his breath as Nori and Ori look at him with interest. "I've seen the way he looks at her. It's clear on his face."

"Kili…" Fili warns too late, his brother rambling on. "Kili, if you want to live to see tomorrow, be quiet."

"Your uncle doesn't know I take it?" Nori asks, his eyes shifting over to Fili. The flaxen haired dwarf shakes his head, sighing.

"Of course he doesn't," Fili gives his brother a hard stare. "Unless he just heard Kili shouting then he knows." The four of them pause at a light knock on their door. Fili moves towards the door quietly, his heart thumping loudly in his chest. He opens the door slowly, nearly sighing in relief when he sees Talatthor's face.

"Wow, Talatthor," Ori gasps, his mouth gaping open and closed. "You look different." Fili pauses, taking in the elf's appearance. Talatthor's dark, short, choppy hair was messy as ever albeit a bit combed. His blue green eyes are bright and for the first time since arriving, Fili notices the elf doesn't have dark bags beneath his eyes. He wears a baggy dark green tunic that hangs over dark brown trousers. He wears a silver circlet, a topaz shining in the center.

"Thank you, Master Ori," Talatthor pauses, taking in Fili's startled face. He snorts, raising an eyebrow. "Something you'd like to say?" Fili shakes his head, stepping aside to let the servant in. Talatthor pauses in the room, taking in the clothes piled onto the bed. He turns back towards Fili, a smirk playing on his lips. "Do you have any idea what you're doing?"

"Not in the slightest," Fili admits defeated. "I've been to balls before but," He pauses, glancing up at Talatthor.

"You haven't been to one with the help?" Talatthor asks; his tone frank but not irritated. Fili nods, sighing as he once again tugs on one of his mustache braids. Talatthor makes a humming sound, moving towards the bed. Fili steps back, settling besides Kili, Nori and Ori as the elf sorts through the clothes. Talatthor makes quick work of the pile; his eyes shifting over each item until he makes a humming sound.

"Here we are," Talatthor holds out a dark blue tunic similar to Kili's. "The trousers you have on now are fine," He pauses, his eye on a fur lined coat. "You will not have any need for this tonight—but for future reference; Echo loves the feeling of furs." Fili takes the tunic with a sigh, tugging off his current one.

"Where is Miss Echo?" Ori asks. Fili stiffens as he realizes that Talatthor is indeed without Echo for once.

"Echo is in her own room," He pauses, turning his gaze towards Nori. "You may take your chance tonight. Every servant will be there. Sometime during the party, sneak away and make for the record room. Nobody will notice your absence," Talatthor turns back towards Fili, a tiny smile on his face. "Do you know where Echo's room is?" Fili nods numbly, his throat dry. "Come on then, she should be ready by now. We'll be awaiting you." Talatthor ushers the others out of the room, moving down the hallway. Fili swallows hard, moving in the opposite direction away from them. Other servants pass him, dressed in varying colored tunics and dresses. Some of them talk excitedly in Elvish while others are silent as they all move past him. Fili struggles not to stare in fascination at the circlets each one wears; each with a different gem. If the elves notice him, they don't say anything even as he stops in front of Echo's door. Fili takes a deep breath, lifting his fist and knocking three times. He nearly grimaces as the sound echoes throughout the now empty hallway. He prepares to apologize to Echo but as the door opens, all his words, thoughts are destroyed by the elf in front of him.

Echo stands in front of him; her dark red hair is free, hanging down her back. And for the first time since they've met, she's wearing a dress. The dress is dark red; hugging her body tightly and falling just above her knees.

"Hello, Fili," Echo whispers, giving him a sheepish smile. "I'm sorry for not quite being ready yet."

"Not ready yet?" Fili croaks, struggling not to look at her legs. "You couldn't look more perfect." He blurts, cursing himself as the words leave his mouth. Echo's lips part in surprise, a blush coloring her cheeks.

"Thank you Fili," Echo says quietly, leaning on her tiptoes to press a kiss to his cheek. "I just need to put on my own circlet. Then we may join the others." Fili nods numbly, following Echo into her room.

"What do they mean?" He asks, watching as Echo brushes her hair back from her face. "The jewelry in yours and Talatthor's circlets, what do they mean?"

"Well everyone's means something different. Talatthor's circlet means that he works in the kitchen. Mine means I'm the queen's servant." She holds out her circlet to him. In the center of the circlet a sapphire sits; gleaming and bright.

"It's lovely." Fili says, holding the circlet out to her. Echo doesn't take it back, staring at him with a soft, shy expression.

"Would you put it on me, please?" Echo asks, bowing her head. Fili nods numbly, reaching out with shaking hands. He resists the urge to run his fingers through her hair as he places it on her head. Her hair is silky, smooth beneath his hands and he pulls away slowly, trying to burn the feeling into his memory.

"Are you ready?" Echo asks, staring up at him. Fili nods, holding out his arm. The two of them walk together down the hallway in silence; their arms linked securely.

"Where is this ball exactly?" Fili asks after she's directed him down several hallways that all seem to twist and turn endlessly.

"Ball room," Echo says, nodding towards another hallway. "There's the main hallway but that would take longer. Besides this is the servant's path."

"Is this some secret passage?" Fili asks, feeling dizzy as they near the sound of music and laughing.

"Feeling nervous?" Echo asks; her expression worried as Fili slows down. "There's for you to fear." She promises, trailing off as they near the sound of laughter. Talatthor stands there, waiting for them; his arms crossed over his chest. Kili, Nori and Ori all stand next to him, their expressions mixtures of annoyed and concerned. Guarding the closed doors are two servants, glaring at Talatthor.

* * *

"What's going on?" Echo asks, glancing at Talatthor. Talatthor jerks a thumb towards the servants behind him.

"They refuse to let me in." Talatthor snaps, glaring at the two servants.

"It's not him; we refuse to let in," One servant mutters, staring with disdain at Fili. "It's the guests he's brought along."

"What is wrong with our guests?" Echo asks, removing her arm from Fili's. She stands beside Talatthor, her eyes flashing angrily.

"Is there some rule about us being escorted here?" Talatthor demands. The two guards look at each other, sighing as they step aside.

"We won't defend you, Talatthor," One warns, shaking their head. "And remember, they're _your _guests." The two of them open the doors, slamming it loudly behind them. Talatthor and Echo turn back towards them, their faces still irritated.

"Mister Talatthor," Ori begins, tugging nervously on his gloves. "Are we getting you in trouble for being here?" Talatthor shakes his head, a slow smile spreading across his face.

"Not in trouble exactly," Talatthor muses. "But the others will be quite annoyed with me. Although at this point, I can't say I care." Echo shakes her head, slipping her arm back through Fili's.

"Are you ready my dear dwarves?" Echo asks as Talatthor reaches for the door. Fili glances at the others faces and notices with some relief, he's not the only one nervous. Ori keeps smoothing the front of his cardigan out; Nori rocks back and forth on his heels and Kili nearly vibrates from excitement. Fili takes a deep breath, trying desperately to calm his pounding heart as Talatthor opens the doors.

Fili's hit by the sound of music; talking and laughter as the door opens. Echo gives him a reassuring pat on his arm, gliding forward behind Talatthor. As soon as they enter the room though, all the talking; laughter and music die down to silence.

"Figures," One elf sniffs, glaring at the small group. "The one night we have off, the royalty comes down to remind of us of what we are." Beside him, Echo stiffens.

"They are not here as the princes of Erebor," Echo snaps. From around them come gasps as everyone turns to look at Echo; their eyes wide. "They are here as friends of mine and Talatthor's."

"You weren't lying," Another elf mutters, glancing at one of the door guards. "She really did talk."

"Yes, she did talk and she's about to scream," Talatthor warns, glaring around the room. "Go back to whatever it was you were doing." Slowly, the other elves all turn away and the music picks back up as does the talking and laughter. Beside him Echo sighs, quirking an eyebrow.

"Shall we get some food?" She doesn't give him a chance to respond, tugging him over to a long table. To his dying day, Fili would never forget all the food there. Meats: ham, sausages, bacon—any they could possibly want. Fruits and berries were laid out; salads filled with vegetables. Desserts: puddings, cakes, pies each one more decorated, more elaborate than the last. Goblets of wine were laid out; kegs of ale set by wooden mugs waited for him. Fili stares in silent wonder as Echo piles things onto her plate. Talatthor follows suit, gesturing for the dwarves to get food.

"Did you make all these things?" Ori asks; his eyes wide with wonder.

"Wouldn't Bombur just die could he see all of this?" Nori asks; his eyes bright as they skim over the food. Fili laughs along with the others at the thought.

"Who is Bombur?" Echo asks as they sit down around a small table.

"He was one of our company," Ori answers. "Bombur did all the cooking; opened his own restaurant after we reclaimed Erebor."

"And you, Ori?" Talatthor interjects, smiling at the scribe. "What did you do after you reclaimed Erebor?"

"I was the company's scribe, documented everything. And now I'm writing a book so the others can read about our journey." Fili slows in his eating, his hand slowly falling to his side. The memories of entering Erebor were still fresh in his mind—the gold sickness that claimed his uncle. The food settles into a block in his stomach and Fili takes a long drink of ale. He clears his throat as he sets the mug down, desperate to steer the conversation elsewhere.

"What did you both do before?" Kili asks Talatthor and Echo. Fili resists the urge to smack his brother upside the head as Talatthor clears his throat.

"You mean before we came here?" Echo's voice is smooth, her smile a bit strained. Kili nods; Ori leans forward eagerly.

"Yes, Mister Talatthor, Miss Echo," Ori looks back and forth between the two elves. "What did you do before you came here?" Fili wishes the floor would open up and swallow him whole as they keep asking questions.

"I helped run an inn," Talatthor begins, his eyes a bit shadowed. "With two dear friends of ours: Bella and Naomi. I worked the kitchens during the days and at night; I would sit with others and talk. Often times, the people at the inn had stories of some sort to share."

"And you, Echo? What did you do?" Ori asks.

"Oh, you know," She drawls, taking a long sip from her wine. "I helped wherever I was needed. Sometimes that meant cooking; cleaning rooms or taking animals into the stables." Her eyes meet Fili's and brighten.

"What is it?" Fili asks, suddenly anxious as she stands up; running around the table to grab his arm.

"Come dance with me," She asks, smiling down at him. "Please." Echo tacks on, blushing. Fili looks around the room to see the floor has cleared a bit as the musicians pick up their instruments. Other servants are all grabbing someone, moving towards the clearing floor.

"I don't," Fili stutters, his throat constricting as she places his calloused hand on her waist. "What if I don't know the dance?" Echo looks up at him with a mischievous smile.

"I never said I knew this dance," She reminds him, grinning. "Just do what feels right." Echo whispers as the music begins. Behind them Talatthor sits; a smirk on his face as he watches Echo and Fili. Kili leaves the table, grabbing hold of an elf woman's arm; an eager smile on his face. Ori sits watching Talatthor, his head cocked.

"Aren't you going to dance, Mister Talatthor?" Ori asks, watching in silent confusion as Talatthor's smile only widens.

"I've never been one for dancing," He confesses, his eyes brightening as he turns towards Ori. "I almost didn't convince Echo to try the ale. She doesn't drink you know." Ori's mouth drops as Talatthor winks at him, chuckling.

"You—she—you mean Miss Echo is drunk?" Ori nearly screeches. Talatthor shakes his head, waving a hand dismissively.

"She's just very buzzed," Talatthor promises him. "I almost didn't convince her," Talatthor repeats, giving Ori a sheepish smile. "Why don't you show me how the dwarves dance? Perhaps we can teach these others a thing or two." Ori jumps up from the table, his face eager as he pulls Talatthor onto the floor. Neither of them says a word about the now empty table, as Nori slips out unnoticed.

* * *

Nori wanders down the maze of empty hallways, looking down at the piece of paper in his hand. The elf, Talatthor had slipped it into his hand on their way to the ball. On the paper were directions from the ballroom to the record room. He walks alone, the sounds from the ballroom slowly dying to silence the further away he gets. Nori moves quickly, silently, determined to find this room.

"Bloody elves said you can't miss it," He mutters irritably, staring at the piece of paper. "Can't miss it my ass…" He trails off, staring at the door in front of him. The door was tall and imposing; intricate designs carved into the wood. The hallway itself is empty aside from the door and the candles glowing high on the wall. Nori gives the doorknob a hesitant jiggle, just to find it locked. So, he thinks as he pulls a bobby pin from his hair, the elves weren't joking when they said it's locked at all times. The lock gives easily with a satisfying click; Nori opens the door and steps into the record room.

The room is a wreck with papers littering the floor. Some are crumpled, stained by dusty boot prints. Others are torn beyond recognition, their pieces spread around. The air is musty smelling and Nori silently curses whoever's in charge of this room. There's no furniture albeit scratched up tables and turned over chairs. Glancing around the dark room, Nori swallows hard as his eyes land on a giant book resting atop one of the tables. The book is thick and heavy with a worn cover; fraying at the edges. The spine creaks as Nori opens it. As his eyes roam over the first page, his throat goes dry. This was not Elvish as he had expected or the common tongue. Nori backs away from the book with panic rising in his throat. On the pages before him were dwarfish runes.

"Dwarves," Nori croaks as he takes a tentative step towards the book. "Dwarves here…" He whispers, flipping through the pages. Some of the pages are as worn and crumpled on the ones as the floor; others fresh and new. Nori flips through the book urgently; his heart thumping harder as each page brings more and more runes. "Echo," He smiles triumphantly as he stops on the page. Nori carefully tugs on the page and nearly sighs with relief as it comes out of the book clean.

"Name: Bronadel; known as Echo," Nori squints, brushing the dust off the page. "Mother: Faervel. Father," From outside comes the sound of heavy footsteps. Nori folds the paper, stuffing it into his clothes. Frantically he flips through the book; his blood roaring in his eyes as he finds Talatthor's name. Nori pulls the page from the book, folding it and stuffing it into his clothes. Closing the book, he turns and tiptoes towards the door, struggling to calm his pounding heart.

"What did you see?" Nori stops short at the gruff, familiar voice of Thorin.

"I saw Fili and the elf walking down the hallway together," The rough, thick voice of Dwalin. "He was touching her hair and they were close together."

"And you have not seen them tonight?" Thorin demands.

"You heard the queen Thorin," Dwalin sighs. "All the servants are at that ball thing—but I have not seen any of the boys either. I checked their rooms. Fili's bed was covered in clothes."

"Surely not," Thorin hisses, sounding appalled by the very thought. "You don't believe."

"It seems to be just an infatuation." Dwalin promises.

"The infatuation will end, Dwalin," Thorin snaps. "We must make sure of it." Their footsteps begin to fade down the hall, their voices fading until it's impossible to hear them speak anymore.

* * *

Oh, Talatthor how I love you. Thank you so much to La Victime and MarauderProperty for the favorite and follows! It's greatly appreciated. The next chapter will probably be more of the servants ball and Fili/Echo dancing and having fun together. Perhaps some drunken kisses. We will see ;)


	12. Warnings

Surprise weekday update! I'm sorry about not updating a lot here lately guys. I've been dealing with some major self confidence issues. But today was a huge self confidence booster for me and I just feel amazing. So this chapter...Hold onto your keyboards, tablets, phones...Whatever you've got readers! Nothing can prepare you for this. My mind ran away from me. This idea came out of nowhere and just hold on. Thank you so much to hizzle27; koalacookies and Ashl3yraFili for the follows and favorites!

* * *

Fili awakes the next morning with a pounding headache and a sour feeling in his mouth. He groans, clutching his head. The curtains are closed tightly. No footsteps come from outside the room; no smells of breakfast permeate the door.

"Quite the party last night," A voice muses. Fili sits upright, reaching for his one of his daggers. From his corner of the room, Nori holds his hands up. "Peace Fili, it's only me." Fili sighs, lowering his hand.

"What are you doing in my room, Nori?" He demands. The star haired dwarf sits in a chair; his legs sprawled out in front of him. He sharpens one of his daggers halfheartedly, not even bothering to look up at Fili as he speaks.

"What do you remember about last night?" Nori asks.

"Barely anything," Fili says and that was the truth. Past dancing with Echo, there wasn't much he could remember. There had been more drinking, music and dancing of course. But all of it was a blur. "Did you manage to break into the record rooms?" Nori's hands still, lifting his eyes to look up at Fili.

"I did manage to," Nori says quietly, lowering his dagger. "I found the records—but there was a hitch. Well make that a couple hitches."

"What happened? Were you caught by someone?" Fili asks, worry crawling up his chest. Nori shakes his head, sighing. The thief looks tired, not hung over but exhausted as if he's carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"I found the records, like I said," Nori sighs, rubbing his eyes. "It seems that your uncle has been having Dwalin following you around." Fear bubbles up in Fili's stomach at Nori's words. He swallows the lump in his throat as Nori stares him down, his gaze unreadable.

"What did they say?" Fili croaks.

"Dwalin seems to believe it's simply an infatuation. They have decided whatever the both of you have, they're going to make it end," Nori sighs, his gaze hardening. "You know your uncle will and Dwalin will make sure of that."

"He doesn't know," Fili mutters, gripping the sheets. "The only ones who know about her being my one are you, Ori, Kili and Balin." Nori's eyes widen.

"You haven't told her?" Nori demands, his voice incredulous. "Mahal, Fili!" Fili shoots him a steely glare, silencing the star haired dwarf.

"I explained the concept of ones to her. And she asked if I'd found my one—I said I believed I had…" Nori narrows his eyes, shaking his head at him.

"You better figure out things fast, Fili. Eventually we'll all be returning to the mountain. And I doubt that all the gold in the mountain could be enough to sway that queen to hand over your elf." Fili lowers his head, defeated. Neither of the dwarrow speaks; silence filling the room until Nori stands moving towards the bed with dusty, worn papers in hand.

"What _did_ you find?" Fili asks with renewed energy, reaching for one of the papers in Nori's hands. He hands it over willingly, pulling his chair over to the bedside.

"Quite an interesting thing," Nori promises, looking over his own paper. "Your elf's father's name is nearly scratched out and the mother's name is barely legible."

"Dwarfish runes," Fili gasps; running his finger carefully over the page. "So her name was—is Bronadel and her mother's name Faervel. Father," He squints, struggling to read the smudged the ink. "Gilon—have you read Talatthor's?"

"Didn't get a chance to," Nori pauses, reaching deep into his pocket. "I found something else in there." In his hand rests two circlets; the silver tarnished nearly tarnished beyond recognition.

"What am I supposed to do with them?" Fili asks, taking one from Nori's hands. Nori shrugs, handing over the circlet and paper.

"I don't know," Nori heads for his door. "Ask your elf about them later and be sure to keep those papers hidden as well. Best figure out your feelings before then." Nori advises, closing the door behind him.

But Echo doesn't come that morning. Fili dresses and waits for her. But there are no footsteps outside his room, even as the sun rises higher and higher in the sky. Fili finally sticks his head outside and looks around the hallway. There's nobody in the hallway except for him; no smells of breakfast in the air. Annoyed, Fili wanders around aimlessly. No servants wander the hallways either he realizes. The library is empty; the kitchen spotless from top to bottom but empty as well. Annoyed with Nori and the silence of the castle, he wanders outside; noting the empty guard's posts. Cutting through the field Echo took him through their day in the market, he pulls out the circlets, still buried deep in his coat. They were probably once fine pieces long ago but now, tarnished and scratched. He couldn't ever imagine these pieces being beautiful. Fili's so busy staring and turning the circlets over in his hands, he doesn't notice the emptiness of the market.

Nobody occupies the stands or shops; the streets swept clean of any dirt or rubble. Nobody occupies the street now but Fili and an older man, who stands locking up his shop. When he turns and catches sight of the prince, his eyebrows furrow with concern.

* * *

"Excuse me," He calls, jerking Fili from his trance. "I'm sorry young master but you won't find any of the shops or markets open here today." Fili stops, looking around with a start.

"Why is everyone closed?" Fili asks, turning in a circle. The shop owner smiles good naturedly albeit sadly.

"You aren't from around here, are you?" Fili shakes his head, stepping closer to the shop owner and bowing.

"Fili, son of Vili, crown prince of Erebor at your service," The man's smile doesn't change as he returns the bow. "I'm staying at the castle of Queen Hinnorel's while she and my uncle work on some negotiations." At the mention of Hinnorel's name, the man's wrinkles deepen with a frown.

"Hinnorel, bah," The man hisses, shaking his head. "Good luck to your uncle, young prince. I truly wish him all the luck in the world with that woman."

"Forgive me for saying so sir, but," The old man cuts him off, a gentle smile on his face.

"Not the best idea to speak of my queen with such an ill tone?" He asks. Fili nods wordlessly. The old man hums, running a hand over his wrinkled face. Sage green eyes watch Fili as he nods towards his shop. "Come on in and I'll explain everything to you. My name is Thomas, at your service, young prince." Fili follows him into the cluttered shop, the warm smell of tea hanging in the air. Thomas moves about wordlessly, picking things up off tables and sweeping the floor as Fili looks around.

"So what is it you would like to know?" Thomas asks, finally breaking the silence. He gestures towards a seat for Fili.

"Why is it you speak of your queen with such an ill tone?" Fili asks, taking the offered seat and watching as Thomas continues moving around the room.

"I was a young man still when her father was king. Her father, King Belegon was a fair ruler and lived to see that we prospered. And Queen Celaireth was the kindest of women. When she used to visit the village, she would bring sweets for all the children and pass them out."

"King Belegon and Queen Celaireth," Fili stumbles over the pronunciation of the names, awkward and unsure. "Aren't those Elvish names?" Thomas doesn't pause in his sweeping as he shrugs.

"Can't say I rightly know," Thomas says, his tone apologetic. "Never did see their ears, their hair always covered it."

"Hinnorel was their only child then?" Fili asks. "No siblings?"

"No, no siblings. They tried for years and years to have another child but they were blessed with only Hinnorel. So she was trained to be the queen when the time came and of course, there was an arranged marriage with some prince. Her father and mother came to pass away as they will with old age. And Hinnorel and her husband took over." His tone becomes bitter.

"What happened then?" Fili prods; not missing the way the man's shoulders become rigid.

"Hinnorel did not care if she was loved or hated nor did her husband. She loved her power. If we needed something, that didn't matter. We were nothing but the commoners—that's what the guards told us. So we were left to solve our own problems while Hinnorel raised taxes; ordered us around. If she wanted something from us, she took it. We rarely heard from her though, it was always the guards who came to us. Until the first winter after her parents passed," Thomas's face becomes shadowed as he takes a long breath, his hands folded. "Hinnorel herself came into the village, dressed in her best clothes and furs. She gathered us all in the center of town and told us that her husband had passed very suddenly. And she was with child."

"Did she—I mean did she seem," Fili stutters. Thomas smiles mirthlessly, raising an eyebrow.

"Did she seem happy? Mournful? She stood there with dry eyes as she told and then turned and walked away. We didn't see much of Hinnorel after that. She went through her pregnancy; carried the babe. There were some days we saw the child wandering around the market; never really stopping to play or talk with anyone. Just wandering around and talking." A small smile comes to the old man's wrinkled face; his eyes crinkling at the edges. Fili can't help but smile himself at the warmth on the old man's face. But it's gone as quickly as it comes.

"Children grow as children will with times passing. And like with Hinnorel, the girl needed to be married to a prince. Hinnorel had never remarried as far I knew so there was no choice but for an arranged marriage. It had seemed as if the princess had become more and more like her mother as she grew though. I'd seen less and less of her as she'd grown older until eventually I stopped seeing her completely around the market. So I simply assumed she had found a husband and her mother ordered her visits here to stop. There came a night though, I was closing my store and I happened to see a hooded figure visiting an elf that had visited the market a few times before."

"So all that time, she was being courted by someone else?" Fili asks, his stomach twisting with knots at Thomas's words.

"We love who we love. Her heart had chosen to fallen in love with an elf that worked at the castle and that was that. Try as she might, she simply could not love whatever prince her mother and every other advisor wanted her to fall for."

"Hinnorel does not seem like the type to forgive her daughter for loving someone else." Fili says carefully. Thomas stares him down; his eyes hard.

"You're correct in your assumption. I watched the nights continue as the two kept meeting in secret. But there began to be a change and it was obvious to even a blind man. The princess was with child." Fili's throat constricts as he swallows hard, his breathing shallow.

"So—what did they do?" Fili croaks.

"They ran away," Thomas whispers. "I woke up one night to a loud bell and Hinnorel sending all the guards on a frantic search to find the princess and her lover. But eventually they gave up. Hinnorel went on with life as she used to albeit crueler than she used to be. Life continued on that way for years. She left us for about two months or so, negotiations and such. She returned with a young woman, named Rawoneth. When people questioned it, Hinnorel said Rawoneth was her cousin and Hinnorel was her closest kin. A few months later, I heard that a new servant joined the castle. But I've never seen them. Eventually we all just assumed the princess and her family were gone forever." Thomas finishes. He sits back with a sigh, bowing his head.

"Last night," Fili croaks out, his voice hoarse. "There was a servant's ball and today nobody was working." Thomas nods towards the window.

"And the market's closed today," Thomas finishes. "It happens every year the night before the anniversary. The day of the anniversary none of the servants work and everybody closes down their shops."

"The anniversary of what?" Fili whispers, clenching the circlets tight enough to make his knuckles turn white.

"The anniversary of the day we lost princess Faervel."

* * *

Like I said, nothing could have prepared you. And it literally ran away from me!


	13. Revelations

Surprise weekday update! I've decided that because of all my works in progress right now, I'm going to work on my main ones like this one, Fade Quietly, The Shadow of Yesterday, Pieces of Us and Only Temporary more than my others. Thank you so much to llcyyxx; overlordred and UselessWithAPen for the follows!

* * *

I sit in the kitchen, my chin resting on my crossed arms as I watch Talatthor. He sits across from me, eating leftovers from last night. An untouched apple sits in front of me that he keeps tapping every few bites.

"Any particular reason you aren't eating this morning, my dearest Echo?" Talatthor asks, dragging out the 'o' of my name. I push the apple towards him, watching it roll across the table stone faced.

"Your jokes aren't funny," I mumble into my crossed arms. Talatthor catches it silently, a small smirk on his face. "I've got too much on my mind to eat." His smirk disappears immediately as he lowers his fork; his eyebrows furrowed.

"What's on your mind?" Talatthor asks. I'd gone over this conversation in my head a thousand times before and each scenario ended nearly the same way.

"It's about that time at the inn, you know?" I mumble, staring down at the wooden tabletop. Talatthor raises an eyebrow, resting his chin in his hand as he stares at me. "You know, when everything gets really busy and Naomi and Bella need help?"

"It is about that time."

"Have you thought maybe, asking Queen Hinnorel," He cuts me off, scraping his fork across the plate.

"No, absolutely not." Talatthor snaps, his fists clenched.

"I would be okay on my own for a while," I mumble, staring down at my lap. "And the busy season only last for a couple months."

"Echo," Talatthor whispers. "We've talked about this before. I refuse to leave you alone here just for some extra money." I sigh as he moves away from the table.

"Then can we at least go the library and look at a map?" I ask pleadingly. Talatthor sighs, leaning against the counter. "Just so we can see how long it would take you to travel there and back?"

"Okay," His tone is defeated but warm. "You're eating that apple." Talatthor reminds me as I stand to follow after him.

Our walk to the library is quiet; the hallways empty of other servants. The others still lie in their rooms, sleeping off hangovers or simply taking the rare chance to sleep in. The library though is not empty; the curtains opened to allow sunlight in. In the middle of the room at a center table sit Ori and Balin pouring over a large, thick spined book. The two dwarves look up with startled expressions that quickly melt into calm smiles when they see us.

"Good morning Mister Talatthor," Ori calls gleefully, clapping a hand over his mouth as his cheeks redden. "Sorry." He says quieter. Talatthor smiles good naturedly as we cross the room towards them.

"It's okay, nobody else is in here but us." Talatthor waves a hand dismissively.

"Can we help you with anything?" My eyes flicker towards the book that their hands rest on protectively. Ori hesitates, looking at the older dwarf as if for permission. Balin clears his throat as he looks at us, a small, cautious smile beneath his beard.

"Ori came to me this morning and told me that Talatthor had not come to his room. I assured him that perhaps he was just busy with other duties and then we went to breakfast. But there was nobody but my brother and my king in there," Balin raises an eyebrow at us, his smile becoming a bit more cautious as Ori fidgets beside him. "A servant coming from the kitchens for a drink informed us that none of you work today. As today is a day of grieving for the loss of the princess."

"Yes, Princess Faervel," I muse. "Every year, we take this day as a day of grieving and nobody works."

"Looking for a book about our princess?" Talatthor interjects. Ori nods, lifting the book with some struggle.

"All we could find was this." Ori sighs.

"You won't find any books about Princess Faervel in here, I'm afraid. All the books about the princess are in the restricted section of the library. We can take you though." Ori's face splits apart with a grin at Talatthor's words.

"Talatthor, Echo," We both turn to see Kili standing in the doorway of the library. "You're needed at the front gate…" We follow after him; Balin and Ori trailing after us.

"Has something happened?" Talatthor demands.

"Well, it's—it's just that," Kili stutters, his voice trailing off as we come to the open front gates.

Fili, Nori and Dwalin all stand fidgeting uncomfortably; nudging each other. An elf woman stands in front of them, two small elfling clinging to her hands.

"She doesn't speak Westron and none of us can speak Elvish. She just keeps on saying Hinnorel's name over and over." Fili says, giving the woman an apologetic look as she looks back and forth between the dwarves.

"Talatthor will take care of it," I promise as he steps forward and bows. "She's probably just a new arrival and is confused."

"A new arrival?" Dwalin growls from behind me. The thickly muscled, tattooed dwarf glares down at me. "A new—these are just children!"

"What's going to happen to them?" Balin asks; his eyebrows furrowed with worry.

"They'll receive lessons and such—and be observed for it to be determined what duty they will take on when they come of age." Talatthor nods at the woman, stepping away.

"I'll be taking them to their rooms and then we can go find that book." He promises Ori and Balin, a smile on his face.

"No, ye won't," Dwalin growls, his scowl only deepening as all eyes turn on him. "I'll show the lady to her room." Beneath his beard a slow smirk spreads across Balin's face as his brother's cheeks pinken staring at the new woman.

"Very well then," Talatthor says, a smirk on his own face as he gives Dwalin directions. "Khila ho." Talatthor says to the woman; watching with the smirk still present on his face as he turns and leads Balin and Ori inside. I'm left alone with Fili as Nori gives him a pointed look, disappearing inside. Fili stands unmoving beside me, his gaze far away.

"Well seems that you aren't the only dwarf who's found his one." I say lightly, nudging him with my shoulder. Fili's cheeks redden as he turns to look at me, shrugging noncommittally.

"I need to talk to you," Fili mutters. "Please." We walk together in silence as Fili leads me back to his room; his face shadowed. He closes the door with a nearly silent click, his head bowed.

* * *

"What is it you need to talk to me about?" I ask, rocking back and forth on my heels. Fili sits down on the edge of his bed, fiddling with one of his mustache braids.

"Does the name Faervel mean anything to you? Or the name Bronadel?" I stop rocking, the names rolling around in my head. Faervel was known by everyone here of course but Bronadel meant nothing—was nothing.

"Everyone here knows the tale of Princess Faervel but as for the second name, can't say it means a thing." I confess. Fili's face falls as he sighs; tapping the spot next to him. I sit down tentatively, watching as he pulls out a folded piece of paper.

"My record," I gasp, staring in awe at the paper. "Is that—I mean is that it?" Fili nods, a small smile on his face.

"Nori came to my room this morning with yours and Talatthor's records," As quick as it came, his smile falters and then disappears completely. "He also brought these." From deep within his pocket he pulls out a pair of circlets, tarnished and worn with age. There are no gems in the center just an empty, gaping socket.

"Who do they belong to?" I ask, trailing my finger over the center. Fili pales, clearing his throat.

"I had hoped you could tell me that," He says with a somewhat sheepish expression. I shake my head, lowering my hands to my lap. "Well then—want me to see your papers?"

"Please," I beg, scooting closer to him. Fili unfolds the paper, revealing a set of strange, foreign writing. "What is that?"

"Dwarfish runes," Fili explains, running his fingers down the page. "Your name, well I mean your real name is Bronadel."

"My name," I whisper; the very idea that I had a name of my own was foreign as the words on the page. "My name is Bronadel." The name is awkward and heavy on my tongue; unsure and clumsy as I talk. Beside me Fili just smiles, his eyes bright as he watches me.

"We made a mistake on your father's name," Fili again looks sheepish. "The name is practically scratched out and we thought it was Gilon but the name is Lamaenor."

"I have a father—the whole thing is a strange concept." I admit with a nervous chuckle. Fili's smile is warm, his eyes soft as he watches me.

"Echo," He says quietly, lowering the paper to his lap. "I need to talk to you about something." Dread fills my body at his words; the look on his face becoming shadowed.

"Have I done something to cross a line as a servant?" I ask. Fili shakes his head reassuringly though the shadows do not leave his face.

"As you know, I'm the heir to Erebor," Fili begins, staring hard at the paper. "And—I'll be expected to marry eventually. My uncle expects it, my kingdom expects it—everyone expects it of me."

"So it would be an arranged marriage then?" I ask. Fili hesitates, gnawing on his lower lip.

"I like to think my uncle and my kingdom would allow me to marry my one. It's a wonderful thing for a dwarf to find their one since so many never do. But they'll want me to marry a dwarrowdam. And it does not matter if it's for love or not."

"You have found your one, why not court them?" I suggest. Fili stiffens next to me, his fists clenching.

"It's not that simple," He snaps. "And I thought I found my one." I wince at his tone. Fili softens, looking away from me.

"I'm sorry," He whispers apologetically. "I know that I've found my one but….It's complicated."

"What's so complicated about it?" I ask.

"A dwarf's one does not have to be a dwarf," Fili explains with a sigh. "It could be a human; hobbit. It could even be an elf servant." He lays a large, calloused hand over mine. I sit frozen as his words sink in; my heart thumping wildly in my chest at his words.

"What?" I whisper, my voice choked. Fili stares at me with a hopeful expression, his hand still on mine is suddenly too warm and I resist the urge to pull it away. "Fili, you can't be—surely you don't mean that." Fili's eyes darken as he looks at me.

"I mean it," Fili promises, trying desperately to slip his fingers through mine. "I had a feeling from the moment I first met you. There was an ache in my chest when we left the room and when you were hurt; I was furious. I wanted to hunt down whoever'd hurt you. I wanted you to speak to me."

"I'm speaking to you now," I whisper gently, pulling my hand away from him. "And this, it cannot happen." I apologize.

"Why not?" Fili demands; standing sharply from the bed.

"It's overstepping my boundaries as a servant," I whisper apologetically, my head bowed. "I'm not royalty. I'm not a princess or a dwarrowdam. I've nothing to offer you. Here, I serve you food, change your sheets and escort you places if you so wish. But that is it. There is no gold or coins; no jewelry."

"I don't need gold or coins or jewelry or gems of any kind!" Fili cries. "I have more than enough of that. I don't need any more of that. There is only one you, one Echo, one Bronadel."

"And there is one you," I whisper, nodding. "There is one Fili: one heir; one crown prince to Erebor. You can leave here now if you wish. I'm here until Queen Hinnorel dies."

"So you're just going to stay here? Day after day, you're going to live here and be beaten by the queen? What happens when Talatthor leaves; if he leaves?" Fili goes silent, paling as he looks down at his booted feet. "I—I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

"You shouldn't have," I agree, standing up and moving across the room towards him. "But you did and it's a legitimate question. But would your uncle, your kingdom ever allow you to marry a servant?"

"They would not be happy about it and there would be a lot of anger," Fili shrugs. "But I don't think there's ever been a marriage in the history of royalty that hasn't had a few disapproving relatives."

"And that too," I sigh, shaking my head. "I'm not royalty, Fili." He pauses, taking a long breath as he kneels down in front of me.

"But you are," Fili whispers, taking my hands in his. "You are the Princess Bronadel, daughter of Lamaenor and Princess Faervel."

"If this a joke then it's gone far enough," I whisper, shaking my head. "Please do not toy with me any longer."

"It is not a joke," Fili promises, his grip on my hands tightening. "We read the papers, Nori and I! We read the runes! Your mother's name is clear: Faervel. Faervel: the princess that disappeared years ago. And we looked at Talatthor's papers. His original name was stolen from him, just like yours. His original name is Lamaenor." The world falls away from me beneath my feet as everything goes black.

* * *

Bronadel: Survival

Faervel: Strong Spirit

Lamaenor: Clever Tongue


	14. Lessers and Superiors

Sorry this chapter took a while to get out. I tried writing it three different times...I tried it from Talatthor's point of view; Fili's and even Dwalin's. And then I finally ended up with this. I'm happy with this. Thank you so much to the RealTayler13 for the follow and favorite! By the way, I will not be able to update this weekend due to work.

* * *

When I come to, my heads throbbing and I groan, clutching my head with a small sigh. There's a small fluttering of motion beside me and whispered voices followed by the quiet creak of a door closing and the click of a lock. Queen Hinnorel stands over me, humming lightly as she taps her fingers with her lips.

"Where am I?" I croak; my voice hoarse.

"You're in the infirmary; you fainted." I swallow hard as the memories of Fili's words from earlier flood my memory. I was his one—a princess—his one. Aulë help me, I felt nauseous as she stared down at me, eyes calculating.

"When am I to return to work, my queen?" The room is suddenly all too small and I'm aware of how close she is as she stares at me.

"It has come to my attention Echo that you and one of the princes have grown close. Your actions reflect on me as my servant and I had hoped, after all these years together you would have learned."

"I assure you my queen; my relationship with Fili is nothing more than a simple friendship."

"I am no fool, Echo," She snaps, stepping away from the bed. "I have heard the rumors from the other servants. I have seen you myself and so has his uncle. I've decided there's only one way to settle this once and for all." Beatings; the dungeon; rationing my food; taking Talatthor, the possibilities that run through my head are endless. Each one ended worse than the last; each one more horrifying; bloodier but all ending the same.

"I do not know the rumors you've heard," I lick my dry lips as she paces the room; her hands clasped tightly behind her back. "But I have done nothing in which I should be singled out or punished for."

"Taking him and those others to the servants ball, Echo? That is not something for which you should be punished? You are their lesser and you danced with the prince; got wasted."

"They only wanted to see what it was about…." I whisper weakly as she turns sharply, eyes flashing with anger.

"That is when you say no! No! No," She shouts; slamming her heavily jeweled hands down on the bedside table. "I should have seen it from the beginning."

"What are you going to do to me?" I ask and plead to Aulë to make my voice strong.

"Talatthor tells me that filthy inn you used to live at is having its busy season again is it not? Those women require help and will pay you?" I nod weakly. Queen Hinnorel turns and opens the door; escorting three figures into the room.

"I think it only appropriate to send you back there with your brother. Perhaps working there once more as a serving wench will remind you of where you stand. Until then," She gestures the figures forward. The woman and her children from earlier stand in front of me; the children clinging nervously to her mother's hands. "Meet Faeleth. She will be accompanying you both and when you all return; she will take over as the queen's personal servant. You are to train her while you all are gone." I nod numbly, my throat constricting with tears as I swallow hard.

"I shall go pack my things my queen," I swing my legs over the side of the bed; standing slowly, unsurely. "When shall we go?"

"Tonight before dinner, go. There will be a cart waiting for you all outside the castle that will take you all to the inn," I nod and go to move towards the door. "Oh, Echo?" I turn towards Queen Hinnorel and hear Faeleth gasp sharply as she slaps me across the face; my cheek burning as I fall onto the floor. "Don't ever think you're on the same line with your betters again." I simply nod and scramble to get out of the room; trailed quickly by Faeleth and her children.

Once we're deep within the maze of hallways, Faeleth sets to fussing over my cheek, worrying and mothering me. I try gently to shrug her off just to have her shake her head and continue her ministrations. She was a tall; slender woman. Long dark hair hangs down her back in curls and her pointed ears point out through; hazel green eyes watching me with worry as we near my room.

"You're name means generous," I muse, looking back at her. Faeleth barely nods; her gaze focused on her children who cling to her hands desperately. "It suits you." She gives me a light smile, sitting down in a chair and watching as I pack. When Talatthor enters the room, it's in a cloak with his pack and a shadowed look on his face.

"Are you nearly finished?" Talatthor demands; shoving cloaks into the arms of Faeleth. "I don't know if you and your children have cloaks but it will be cold on the road and you'll need these."

"Have you said your goodbyes?" I ask as I lift my own pack. Talatthor's shadowed face becomes darker as he looks away from me; turning towards the door.

"There's no time for goodbyes," Talatthor whispers as he steps out the door. "We have to go now else the cart will leave without us," I open my mouth to object until Talatthor turns and looks at me, his eyes filling with tears.

"Okay," I whisper, squeezing his hand. "Let's go now, quickly." Talatthor takes a deep albeit shaky breath as he turns and leads us outside.

As promised, a cart waits outside for us. The guards are silent as they step aside to let us throw our packs onto the wagons; helping the kids on.

"Sir, might I ask what these barrels are for?" Talatthor asks. I follow his gaze and find the small cart indeed has five barrels lining the area behind the driver. The man turns; giving Talatthor a light smile.

"No need for formalities. Thomas is my name and the barrels are nothing of great concern; just supplies I'll be dropping off shortly." Talatthor accepts the answer with a small nod; throwing down some blankets and patting it.

"You all can sleep if you wish," Talatthor offers. Faeleth and her children eagerly clamber onto the nest of blankets, using her pack as a pillow. Talatthor turns his gaze on me, offering a sad, somewhat bitter smile as the cart begins to move away from the castle. "You should get some sleep too."

"I can't say I'm all that tired." I confess, shrugging.

"Bella and Naomi will be excited I'm sure." Talatthor tries once more. I open my mouth, stopping at the growl. Talatthor stands carefully; tapping on a side of one of the barrels. The responding answer was a hushed whisper and we each press an ear to a barrel.

"Can't we come out yet?" One voice whines.

"No, Mr. Thomas hasn't given the signal!" Another whispers urgently.

"When is the blasted signal? My foot's nearly up my ass!"

"What signal is that, Ori?" I growl, pulling the lid from one of the barrels. First come Ori's gingery red hair followed by his flushed freckled cheeks as he gives us a shaky smile.

"H—h—hi Miss Echo," At our stares, he sighs and looks towards the other barrels. "They know." One by one the others pop up: Fili, Kili, Nori and even Dwalin who scowls and glares though his gaze softens when it lands on Faeleth.

"Seems we've got some eavesdroppers," I mutter, looking over the sheepish looking faces of the dwarves. If anything Nori just looked proud of the fact he'd managed to sneak away; a wolfish grin on his face. "What are you doing here?"

"Well we couldn't just let you all run off on your own," Kili cries, struggling to clamber out of his barrel. "Especially not when you're Fee's one! And that other elf maid is Mister Dwalin's one!" Dwalin's seething glare and warning growl does nothing to deter to the young dwarf who gives us pleading looks.

"What is your uncle going to do when he realizes? And your brother, what's he going to do?" I demand. Dwalin shrugs nonchalantly; a smirk hidden beneath his beard.

"My brother's dealt with worse from me over the years. And someone has to keep an eye on these brats."

"Thank you for this Thomas." Fili says to the driver who turns and gives him a bright smile, nodding.

"Happy to help you Master Fili," Thomas turns back towards the road. "I suggest you all get comfy for now. It's a long road ahead and we've got quite a ways to go." I sigh, sinking to the now crowded floor of the wagon. Talatthor leans back against one of the barrels, closing his eyes as Fili lies next to me.

"I cannot believe you," I mutter, my eyes closed. Fili spreads a blanket over me and I swear I hear the smile in his light chuckle. "We're talking in the morning."

"That'll be a sight to see." Is the last thing I hear Kili mutter before I drift off to sleep; my head on Fili's shoulder.

* * *

Hehe, aren't they all little shits?


	15. Back to the Inn

I got hit with inspiration! Warning: fluff and children being adorable ahead. Thank you so much to genevaxXxdreams and EvenTheDarkestNightWillEnd for the follows! After this weekend guys, I'm just kind of like ugghhh children, disgusting.

overlordred: At this point, I'm just sorta like everybody gets a one! You get a one! You get a one! Dwalin gets a one! Fili gets a one! All of you dwarves get ones! Thank you so much xD I always worry this story isn't fluffy enough.

* * *

It had not even been a full day on the cart and Fili was already sick of it. It had been bad enough to be stuffed into a barrel. His heart had skipped a couple beats when Echo had settled against his shoulder to sleep; her breathing slowly turning even. As desperately as he wanted to, he wasn't able to fall asleep. Cramped between his brother, Ori, Nori, Dwalin, Talatthor, Faeleth and her children with Echo's weight against his shoulder; it was far too uncomfortable. Not to mention Dwalin's snoring. Thomas hummed lightly from the front of the cart and Fili thought there were a couple moments he heard the man singing lullabies. It did little to soothe Fili for all the bumps they hit that jostled the cart and seemed to rattle each and every bone in his body. Exhaustion eventually won over though and he managed to fall asleep, his own cheek resting atop Echo's head. His sleep is short lived however Kili stumbles over his foot; clutching for anything to brace himself as the cart hits yet another bump.

"Mister Thomas," Ori calls; clinging to one of the barrels as he struggles to stand up. "Is there no other path we can take? One perhaps that's a little less bumpy." Thomas gives them all an apologetic look as he shakes his head.

"I am afraid not Master Ori. If we are to make it safely to the inn with such precious cargo as stowaways, it would be best that we take the path no travelers ever use."

"How come nobody uses these paths?" Nori asks suspiciously, his eyes narrowed at the man.

"No need for them," Thomas shrugs. "Nobody's bothered to do any work on them you see so merchants that come through would prefer to use the more common roads." Nori still looks suspicious though he does turn away; pulling out one of his daggers to fiddle with it.

"You wouldn't happen to have any food, would you?" Kili asks Talatthor, his cheeks flushing red. "We were kind of in a hurry to follow you all and well…" Dwalin sighs and shakes his head.

"You grabbed clothes, weapons and ran and I followed you." Kili's flush deepens and he glares at the warrior, pointing at him with a smirk.

"You came for that elf with pretty curls!" Kili declares, batting his eyes. Dwalin's glare darkens as his cheeks flush a light pink.

"Be quiet!" Dwalin hisses in Khuzdul. "She'll hear you!" From beside him, Echo snorts and Fili looks down with a start. The redheaded elf stretches carefully, avoiding kicking the others as she stands up.

"Not much food to offer I'm afraid. We'll have a proper meal when we get to the inn." She promises, digging through her pack. It turns out the only food available to them is bread, apples, cheese and dried meats. Fili takes some bread, watching amused as Talatthor shoves an apple into Echo's mouth. When she glares, he points at her with a smirk on his face.

"You didn't eat that last apple." He reminds her. Echo rolls her eyes but dutifully takes a bite, turning and offering Fili an apple of his own.

"Want one?" Echo asks, staring at him earnestly. Fili nearly groans at the expression on her face and apple in her hand. The other dwarves all watch him with amusement turned surprise and humor when he takes the apple. He nearly groans as he takes a bite, forcing a smile at Echo as he chews. When her backs turned; he takes his chance and spits it out. When he turns around, one of Faeleth's children is staring up at him; the little boy. Fili has only directly interacted with their mother once before and it had been awkward. She didn't speak a bit of Westron and he didn't speak a bit of Elvish and neither of the children had spoken a word. So to see her son staring up at him now made him nervous to say the least.

"Bend down please." The little boy orders in clear Westron. Fili obeys, a polite albeit tentative smile on his face.

"What can I help you with little master?" Fili asks.

"Tegilbor." The little boy says; his tone grave.

"Tegilbor?" Fili parrots and the child nods, his hand reaching forward and giving a light tug on one of Fili's mustache braids.

"What's this?" Tegilbor asks; his tone and face both so confused that Fili can't help but start laughing, stroking his face.

"Facial hair Master Tegilbor," Fili nods towards the other dwarves who all straighten up proudly except for Kili. "Facial hair and beards are very important to dwarves."

"Tell me about it." The little boy demands. The dwarves all launch into stories of their beards and what their beads and braids mean; the little boy listening adamantly. Kili though does not speak, sitting hunched with his back against the barrels. Fili gives him a sympathetic look and notices that both Echo and Talatthor stare at him with concern. All three watch silently as Faeleth's daughter walks up to him, tugging gently on his hand.

"What's your beard mean?" The little girl asks, staring hard at Kili. The dwarves all go quiet, staring at Kili's stubble. Kili looks away from the child, his eyes darkening.

"I don't have one," Kili mumbles. "This is all I have." He gestures towards his stubble dusted cheeks. The little girl stares hard at him, her lips pooched out as she shakes her head.

"That's a beard," The girl declares, stamping her food decisively. "And it's a beautiful one." She leans forward, pressing a sloppy, wet kiss to Kili's cheek. The dwarves all smile and laugh good-naturedly as a smile nearly splits Kili's face apart.

"Well thank you little miss." Kili trails off, staring at the girl expectantly.

"Tarahel," The girl says with a wide smile, practically bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet. "It means strong." Dwalin chuckles quietly, cracking a small smile as he stares down at the little girl.

"Hardly seems like a good name for you lass." Fili had to agree. Tarahel is lean and long, skinny. Pale skinned with the pointed ears of her race poking out from beneath long, silky black hair. She looked anything but strong. Talatthor shakes his head at Dwalin, handing Tarahel a piece of bread.

"It does not mean physical strength but emotional; Tegilbor means writer." Ori perks up at the mention of Tegilbor's name, looking expectantly at Talatthor and Echo.

"What do your names mean then?" Ori asks, pulling out his journal. Echo smirks, reaching up and tugging on one of Talatthor's dark pieces of hair.

"His name means golden plains." Talatthor pulls away from her tugging, swatting at her hand with a half scowl.

"My parents were convinced that I was going to come out blonde haired. I did when I was born and then when I turned one; it changed to this dark color."

"Her name," Dwalin grunts, clearing his throat as he stares towards Faeleth. "What's it mean?"

"Generous," Echo says with a small smile on her lips as the elf in question breaks apart a piece of bread to hand over to Tegilbor. "It suits her."

"Emerald," Fili mutters, reaching up and brushing a piece of hair behind her hair. "You need a name that means emeralds."

"Long as I can give you a nickname that means little lion," Echo says, smirking as she grabs hold of his hand. Her smirk fades slowly as she hides their hands behind their backs; linking their fingers together. Fili inhales sharply as Echo looks at him from the corner of her eye. "Are you ready to see Bella and Naomi again?" Fili winces at the memories of the two women. The woman Naomi: short, stocky and rather stoic. And the other woman, Bella: tall and almost painfully thin with a high reedy voice that seemed to have no reason or care for personal boundaries.

"I think I'm ready." Fili says with a forced smile as Echo grins; nodding slowly.

"Good because here comes the inn." Fili turns in time to catch sight of the two women from before, Naomi and Bella sitting in front of a building. The woman Naomi is leaning far back in a chair and would look dead were it not for the steady rise and fall of her chest. Bella's hair is tussled; her makeup smeared and there's a delirious look of happiness on her face. At the sound of the cart, both women look up and Fili's hand receives a squeeze.

"Tally, it's our Tally," Naomi calls, standing up from her chair. Her voice is like Fili remembers, slow and almost gravelly as she speaks; a slow smile spreading across her face. "He brought us some company."

"A lot of company," Bella agrees in that reedy voice, stretching like a cat as she stands. "You didn't send us a letter, Talatthor!" She scolds as Thomas brings the cart to a stop in front of the inn. Talatthor jumps off the cart smoothly, shaking his head.

"No I did not," He agrees; nodding towards Echo. "I brought something even better." The women follow his gaze; pausing as realization dawns on their faces. Naomi lets out a breathy sigh as Bella simultaneously squeals; opening her arms and gesturing wildly. Naomi's eyes wander over the cart; pausing on Fili a bit longer than the others as she offers him a thin lipped smile.

"Well come on inside then." Naomi orders; gesturing for everyone to follow her inside. When Echo goes to step off the wagon, she doesn't let go of Fili's hand, their fingers still linked together.

* * *

Naomi circles the table, her eyes scanning the dwarves all hunched over their food. Bella eyes them too though it's with a hunger Fili notices.

"Tell me," Naomi begins, stopping behind Talatthor. "How did you manage not only to convince that queen of yours to allow you to come back? But to bring Echo and some dwarves with you; whatever did you do Talatthor?" Fili doesn't miss the way Talatthor stares at him for a long moment as he chews thoughtfully before his gaze finally flickers to Naomi.

"The dwarves were a surprise my dearest Naomi though I cannot say I mind their company. As for Echo—well I'll allow her to tell that story herself."

"She no longer wants me as her personal servant. I'm to begin training Faeleth," Echo says softly, avoiding everyone's eyes. "But I believe I'm to stay there when we return." Bella stands from her seat, humming lightly as she twists a golden chain around her hands; eyes trained on Echo.

"So she's just toying with us once again?" Bella asks; her voice pinched. "Is that it? Just going to give us back our family for a couple months and then when the busy season is over; yank you all away from us once more."

"Bella, Naomi says warningly, giving her a level look. "Let us discuss this later. For now let's show our guests to our rooms." The door to the inn opens and a man steps through, a nervous air about him as he clears his throat, nodding at Bella.

"Miss Bella." The man says quietly, nodding outside. Bella nods wordlessly and the man blushes, stepping back outside.

"I'll allow you to get to that," Bella nods towards the door. "Work begins early for me tonight." She doesn't return for the rest of the night and Fili watches as the inn fills up with humans; elves and even a couple unfamiliar dwarves. They sit in the corner with the hoods of their cloaks pulled up and watching as Echo and Talatthor are stopped repeatedly by customers. Sweets are slipped into their hands; coins and in Talatthor's case a hug from a small child declaring how much he's missed the elf. Fili watches it all with a light smile on his face as several times both elves come by their table to refill tankards and each time; Echo lightly touches the back of his hand with hers.

By the time things have settled down and everyone has cleared out, Fili sits alone at the table. The only other person in the room is Naomi; wiping down table and putting chairs atop the tables. The others had long since exchanged goodnights and slinked to their beds; drunk or exhausted from travel. He's the only one who remains now; watching the woman clean, her head bowed as she silently moves about the room.

"Tell me the truth," Naomi finally says; her voice a low, gravelly warning. "What you are really doing here. I remember seeing you that day at the market. You're a prince and we're all nothing. So what is it you're trying to do with us?" Fili squirms under the woman's scrutinizing stare and for a moment is reminded of his mother.

"I care for Echo, a great deal," Fili says, looking down at his hands. "A lot in fact," He hesitates, listening to the heavy silence that coats the room like a wet blanket. "Could I ask you something?"

"You can," Naomi mutters, sinking down into the chair across from him. "I may not answer it though."

"Have you ever known Echo and Talatthor by any other names? Not like a nickname but an entirely different name." Naomi doesn't answer and when Fili lifts his head to make eye contact; her eyes are darting nervously about the room.

"I have to tell you something," Naomi whispers, leaning across the table. "I know something—and it was never told or taught to me. I became furious one day with a client of Bella's who attempted to follow her inside and when told to leave tried throwing things. When we finally got him under control and throw out, I screamed this phrase at him."

"What was it?" Fili asks, a sense of dread settling in the pit of his stomach as Naomi purses her lips.

"Îsh kakhfê ai-'d dûr-rugnu," Fili rears back like he's just been slapped as the Khuzdul flows perfectly from the woman's lips. "I was never taught it or heard it." Fili swallows hard, clearing his throat as Naomi watches him anxiously.

"You're a human too?" He asks. She nods, gesturing towards her smooth face.

"Pure blooded human," She promises though she hesitates, tugging on her short, choppy hair. "Though I do remember once long ago having long hair in braids; with gems and beads and trinkets all clinking. But the memories a foggy thing and could just as easily be a dream I've had or wish was real." She shrugs, standing up and moving away from the table.

"So there was never any other names you called them?" Fili calls, standing up from the table.

"Not that I remember." Naomi shakes her head. Fili sighs, his shoulders sagging as the door to the inn opens. Bella steps through; hair mussed and makeup smeared. She takes the plate of food Naomi hands her wordlessly; sitting down across from Fili.

"I need to ask you something." Fili says. The woman doesn't pause in her eating; eyes flickering towards him as she blinks lazily.

"Ask away."


	16. The Fog Clears

Naomi sits up long after everyone's gone to bed. The inn has been scrubbed clean; the kitchen closed and tables void of people. The only one here is her now, nursing a bottle of whiskey and watching the door that leads to their rooms. Her shoulders are stiff, back rigid as Bella steps through the door. Her makeups been washed off, hair wet from the baths. Her own hands are full, one with a bottle of Elvish wine and the other several folded pieces of paper.

"Those dwarves are rather interesting creatures," Bella says as she sits down, taking a long swig of wine. "That prince asked me some interesting questions."

"Asked me some things too," Naomi stares down at her own bottle of alcohol. "I told him about speaking Khuzdul but that I don't know how I know it," Her eyes flicker to the parchment and she nods towards her hand. "What have you got there?"

"A gift from my customers, same one who gave me the wine," She lays them across the table, unfolding them. There's four pieces all together, each one a sketch of faces staring at them. A dwarrowdam, two elves and a half-elf all gaze at Naomi. "Said he's been finding them plastered around towns for years but the papers so old and weather worn, it's a miracle they're in such good condition."

"I remember having long hair once," Naomi whispers more to herself than Bella, tugging on her short, choppy locks. "More than long hair—my head hurts." She groans, letting go of the bottle to reach up and grasp her head.

"Perhaps it's the stress of today?" Bella moves to stand up, stopping when Naomi lifts her arm, grunting. "Naomi."

"No, no," Naomi whispers. "It's not that." Naomi's head throbs as she clutches it desperately with a groan. She shakes it as though that might make it stop. Bella sighs and goes to step towards her once more but stops when Naomi sits up sharply.

"What?" Bella demands. "What is it?"

"I remember…" Naomi whispers, closing her eyes as the fog shrouding her brain lifts.

* * *

_"So this is the dwarf you spoke of?" The woman demanded and wrinkled her nose as she stared down at said dwarf. "What is your name again?" _

_ "Bortan," Naomi said and gave a low bow to the queen. "My name is Bortan." The woman sniffed with a disapproving air and circled the dwarf. _

_ "You can write can you?" Her tone was mocking. "I understand you know dwarvish runes—a well-educated dwarf." _

_ "Yes, I do," Naomi promised her. "I fail to see why that is of any importance your majesty. The queen stiffened and stopped her circling as she turned slowly towards Naomi, her eyes narrowed. _

_ "The servants who come here," The queen says stepping forward. "I want them to have records: given names, names here, parents names if possible, backgrounds; written in dwarvish runes, preferably." _

_ "You wish for them not to know of who they are?" Naomi asked. The queen made a light humming as she turned towards Naomi. _

_ "You ask an awful lot of questions for a simple dwarf. Be careful not to overstep your boundaries. Faervel, escort him to the kitchens so him can begin her work." From the shadows stepped a young woman who gave Naomi a tentative smile as they made their exit from the room. She had long, thick red hair that hung down her back in a single braid. Emerald green eyes watched Naomi with curiosity as they walked. When she spoke, her words nearly made Naomi jump out of her skin. _

_ "Don't mind my mother," Faervel advised calmly. "She is like this with all newcomers—well all servants really." _

_ "So you're the princess then?" Naomi's eyes flickered to her crownless head. "Princess Faervel." _

_ "I am," Her tone was light though Naomi noticed how she slowed the closer they came to the kitchens. "Though I wish a lot of times I wasn't." Naomi didn't get the chance to ask why not. She was cut off by the heavy wooden doors before them being flung open and two eager faces peering out. _

_ One was a woman. She was tall, lean and rather curvy Naomi noticed. She jumped up and down on the tips of her toes as she looked excitedly at Faervel. Her long black hair framed her face like a curtain, blue eyes bright as they darted around. And when she spoke her voice was a high pitched, melodious tone. _

_ "Faervel," She squealed. "Where is the new person? I've been waiting for hours to meet them." She whined. The princess chuckled lightly and carefully laid a hand on the hyper woman's shoulder. _

_ "Calm yourself now Bella," Faervel scolded lightly. "He's right here. Bortan, allow me to introduce to Bella and Lamaenor." The other person, Lamaenor was an Elvish man. Taller than the woman she noticed. With short, dark choppy hair and light grey eyes, pointed ears; a lean body he was not attractive by dwarf standards. But the smile he gave her was welcoming and the look he gave the princess she noticed was one she couldn't quite understand. _

_ "Welcome Bortan," Lamaenor greeted with a deep bow. "You're just in time for dinner," His eyes flickered towards the princess briefly with a hopeful look. "Will you be joining us tonight, Princess Faervel?" The princess seemed to deflate instantly as she took a small step back._

_ "Maybe another night," She whispered as she glanced over her shoulder. "I'm to be meeting with the prince tonight—you know…"_

_ "The one you're mother intends for you to marry, you mean." Bella's tone was sympathetic as the princess sighed. _

_ "Yes, that's the one," She glanced over her shoulder once more. "I—I really need to get going, I apologize." _

_ "Will I see you tonight?" Lamaenor whispered and stopped the princess in her tracks. _

_ "I don't know." She whispered and turned away as she made her quick escape down the hallway. _

_ "I understand now why she said she doesn't want to be the princess." Naomi whispered. The two turned to look at her and she silently cursed herself as the two gazed at her with scrutinizing stares. _

_ "I sometimes wish I wasn't a servant," Bella admitted and wrinkled her nose, prompting a laugh from the two of them. _

_ A friendship formed quickly between the three and Naomi often found herself with either Bella or Lamaenor. They both knew her as Bortan; a dwarf from the Blue Mountains who'd come to work as a scribe for the queen. Bella, she came to find out was a lively woman. The queen used her mostly for entertainment at parties and other events. She would dance with the people who attended; talk, joke and share stories. There never seemed to be a dull moment with her around, Naomi noticed and was grateful for the company of her. _

_ When Bella was absent, Lamaenor took her place. A worker in the kitchen, he was often covered in flour or some other sort of mess from his cooking. He was deeply in love with the princess she came to realize. It was obvious from the way the two looked at each other. She had caught them on more than one occasion in a corner, whispering and in one case, sharing a kiss. But Faervel was in an arranged marriage it seemed, a prince from some place or another, Lamaenor snapped when she asked. _

_ Things would not come to a head until a dinner where all three of them were present. Faervel sat obediently by her mother's side as the prince tried his best to talk to her and pull her into a conversation with him. His attempts were met with silence as she gazed longingly at Lamaenor. _

_ "Can't you see?" Bella had finally snapped as the prince sighed, annoyed. "She doesn't love you! She loves," Bella stopped abruptly and snapped her mouth shut as the queen turned her gaze onto her. _

_ "Who does my daughter love?" The queen demanded, her voice slow and deliberate. Nobody answered though Faervel's gaze remained faithfully on Lamaenor. _

_ There was no talk that night as Naomi accompanied the queen to her chambers, hands folded behind her back. The queen sat silent at her vanity as she brushed her hair out, her lips set in a thin line. _

_ "Do me a favor Bortan," The queen drawled as she gave her hair a final stroke. "Fetch me Bella and Lamaenor?" Naomi opened her mouth to object until she caught the queen's eye in the mirror. She nodded silently and left the room in search of the two. They were not in the kitchens or the servant's quarters. _

_ "Try the stables." Someone in the servant's quarters suggested and so she trudged her way up there, a sense of dread in her stomach. The stable door opened easily, the scent of hay, apples and manure in the air as she stepped inside. _

_ "Bella," She called as she stepped inside. "Lamaenor, are you in here?" The only response is a muffled sound that she chalks up to a horse. But then the muffled sound came again, stronger, needier. "Bella, Lamaenor, are you in here?" She cried and ran towards the sound. She stumbled in the dark and silently cursed as she tripped and landed on her hands and knees. _

_ "Get out," A frantic voice whispered. Naomi sat up hurriedly and reached towards her waist for a dagger. She stopped when she recognized the frantic voice: high, melodious now terrified. "Get out, it's a trap." Naomi looked up and there in front of her was Bella and Lamaenor, their hands and feet tied up. A gag was stuffed into Lamaenor's mouth and his cries were muffled as he stared at Naomi. Bella's own gag hung around her neck._

"_What do you mean a trap?" Naomi demanded. The pain on the back of her head was a sharp sting and she gasped, her voice becoming stuck in her throat as she fell forward._

* * *

_She came to later with a soft groan, muffled by the gag stuffed into her mouth. Her head throbbed and her limbs are heavy, sore. _

"_Hush now my dear Bortan," The queen soothed. "You must be exhausted. After all lying about your gender takes a lot out of you." It took a second for her words to sink in and then Naomi was screaming. Her screams were muffled by the gag and the queen looked less than impressed as she reached for the gag. "What is your real name?" _

"_Megila" Naomi spat when she removed the gag. "It was for safety. You know my true gender and my name. Now what is it you want?" The queen nodded and pushed her head back. Naomi shook her head and tried to resist but her limbs were heavy, sore and she was overwhelmed she realized by exhaustion. She sighed and opened her mouth as the queen hummed lightly and poured a small vial of something bitter down her throat. _

"_You are no longer known as Megila; you will no longer even be known as a dwarrowdam. You will go by Naomi," She flicked one of the braids hanging in Naomi's beard and hard as she tried, Naomi could not lift a hand to push her away. "There will be no more of these pretty little braids or beard. No more long hair." _

"_I'm a dwarrowdam," Naomi whispered, overwhelmed by exhaustion as she closed her eyes. "I'm—I'm Naomi." _

"_That's right." The queen nodded and moved onto Bella and Lamaenor. She was met with little resistant from both. You will no longer be a woman who entertains with jokes and stories but one who sells her body to the night, you may keep your name, she whispered to Bella as the same concoction was slipped down her throat. But that pretty little voice of yours will be gone, the queen promised. You prided yourself on that clever tongue she snaps at Lamaenor. You'll now be known as Talatthor and be forever bound to his place. The three lay unconscious as the queen walked out of the stables. She paused in the doorway and looked at the hay longingly. She pulled a match from her sleeve and lit it. It's tossed onto the hay with a sigh as she closes the stable doors and locks them, hands folded behind her back. _

_Faervel stepped out of the shadows, her eyes locked onto the three unconscious on the floor. Fire was consuming the stables and fast she realized with horror. Their only chance, an open window was big enough for them to squeeze out of. But she lacked the strength to lift them up. _

"_Bella," She cried and ran forward when she noticed the woman stir. "Bella, come on. We have to go." Bella stared at her strangely before rearing back and clamping a hand over her mouth._

"_What's that stench?" She cried. Faervel nearly grimaced at the new tone in her friend's voice. Once melodious it was now almost like a screech as she clambered around, desperate to find a way out. _

"_It's okay," Faervel promised and firmly grabbed hold of the woman's shoulders. "Come on, I need you to climb out that window. And wait for us. Okay?" Bella nodded mutely and scurried toward it. Behind her Naomi groaned as she sat up and looked around. Faervel didn't waste time to grab hold of her and stand her up. "Do you remember me?" She asked hopefully. Naomi stared at her a moment before she nodded, eyes filled with panic as the flames licked closer and closer. "We've got to lift him out, help me." She pleaded, gesturing towards the unconscious Lamaenor. She complied obediently and both women then scrambled out the window. They ran from the stables, holding the unconscious man between them as they ran. Screams could be heard behind them as servants realized the stable was burning and tried desperately to save it. But they're ignored as they ran. _

"_Where are we even going?" Naomi finally gasped as they entered town and ducked their heads. _

"_I don't know—where should we go?" Faervel asked, panicked as the sound of an alarm comes from deep within the castle walls. A silver haired man stared at them from his stand, his face somber as he stepped out. _

"_There is an inn for sale," He told them in a hurried whisper. "It is a day and a half away by cart. Even less if you take the roads less traveled by and hurry, young mistress, hurry." He advised as he led them towards a cart, handing the reins over to Naomi. _

"_Tell no one of this, please." Faervel begged as he loaded the back with barrels, hiding them from view. _

"_You have my word," He promised, handing her a map. "Now go, all of you." _

"_Thank you…" Faervel trailed off. _

"_Thomas." The man said with a soft smile as he turned away, back towards his stand._

* * *

"Naomi," Bella gives her arm a light shake. "What is wrong with you? What do you remember?" Naomi slowly lifts her head, taking a shaky breath as she stares at Bella.

"Go get Talatthor and Echo."

* * *

I'm just going to leave that here for everyone to read, enjoy and want to slap me for leaving you with that ending. Thank you so much to Dark-Light-Devil-666; Luronda and pikaremo for the follows and favorites. I was going to write more but I'm so tired and I have a five day weekend coming up. So I'll have time for that later.


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